Explanation

England Women will tour Pakistan for the first time in October, joining the men’s side in an unprecedented joint trip, cricket chiefs announced here on Thursday. No England team have played international cricket in the country since 2005. Cricket-obsessed Pakistan spent a decade in international sporting isolation after gunmen targeted the Sri Lankan team bus in Lahore in 2009, killing eight people and wounding several players and officials. Eoin Morgan’s white-ball team had already committed to a two-match Twenty20 International series in Karachi on Oct 14 and 15, with those dates now turned into double-headers involving Heather Knight’s side. The Heather Knight-led England Women, world champions in the 50-over format, will then stay in Karachi to compete in three One-day Internationals, on Oct 18, 20 and 22.