Australia and Pakistan confirm Lord's clash

Australia and Pakistan are to stage a rematch of their 1999 World Cup final, when they face each other at Lord's on September 4, as part of the build-up to the ICC Champions' Trophy, which takes place in England later in the month.

"We are delighted to be welcoming Australia and Pakistan - two world-class teams - to Lord's in September," said Roger Knight, the secretary of MCC. "Australia will be keen to retain their reputation as the best team in the world, while Pakistan will be desperate to avenge their defeat, by the Australians, in 1999's World Cup final at Lord's.

"We were already expecting an exciting summer - with our first Twenty20 match next month, and England due to play West Indies in July and India in September. For everyone at Lord's, this extra fixture is set to make an outstanding summer even better."

The 1999 final was a one-sided encounter (Australia won by eight wickets with nearly 30 overs to spare), but three years later, Lord's played host to a far more eventful final - India's thrilling NatWest Series triumph over England - when Yuvraj Singh and Mohammad Kaif rescued a lost cause to chase 326 for victory. That match will be revisited one day later, on September 5, when the two teams meet again at Lord's.