Pakistan mulling short tour of South Africa

Pakistan are contemplating a short limited-overs tour of South Africa after the current series in the UAE ends on November 15. Their schedule is bare until Sri Lanka arrive in the UAE for a full tour starting December 11, while South Africa will be free until India arrive for their series, most probably in early December. That means the available window for any series would be two weeks.

The proposal for a short, limited-overs series was put forward to Cricket South Africa by the PCB' interim management committee. With CSA expected to lose R200 million (US$ 20m approx.) owing to the curtailed India tour, this may be a way to make some of that up.

"We are in communication to play a series with South Africa," a PCB spokesman told ESPNcricinfo. "We have an available window ahead of upcoming Sri Lanka series and the plan is to play in South Africa. The proposal however is under consideration and the correspondence is at a preliminary stage with no concrete decision made so far."

The tour was suggested after the original seven ODIs between South Africa and India were cut down to three, the three-Test series brought down to two, and the two-match T20 series scrapped. Pakistan are scheduled to return to the UAE on December 6 to take on Sri Lanka in two T20s, five ODIs and three Tests.

Pakistan announced the schedule for their domestic season last month, according to which the National T20 tournament featuring 17 regional teams was to take place after South Africa's tour of the UAE, but the PCB spokesman confirmed that if Pakistan's proposed tour to South Africa is approved, the National T20 Cup will be pushed back.