England confirm winter tour schedule

England's winter touring schedule has been confirmed with England playing five ODIs and a Twenty20 in India, a Test, one-day and Twenty20 series against Pakistan in the UAE and a two-Test series in Sri Lanka.

There had been some confusion over the schedule when Giles Clarke announced on Test Match Special during the Rose Bowl Test against Sri Lanka earlier this month that England would play their Pakistan Test fixtures in Sri Lanka, rather than the UAE. However, that was quickly retracted by John Carr, the ECB's director of cricket operations.

Though the itinerary for the UAE-leg of the winter's travels has not been confirmed it will consist of three Tests, four ODIs and three Twenty20s. The Sri Lanka tour is limited to just two Tests with the promise of a limited-overs tour in November-December 2014.

"We are very pleased to have agreed an itinerary with BCCI for the forthcoming one-day series which includes matches in India's major cities and will suit the needs of both the England team and our travelling supporters," ECB chief executive David Collier said. "With India due to play a NatWest Series here in September, there is bound to be intense interest in the return contest in India this October and we look forward to what should be a fascinating series of one-day encounters between the two teams.

"The remainder of the winter programme will see England travel to the UAE early in the New Year to play Pakistan in all three formats of the game, followed by a short break in the UK before the team takes on Sri Lanka in a two-match Test series."

England in India

October 4 - England arrive in Hyderabad
October 8 - 50-over warm-up match, Gymkhana, Hyderabad
October 11 - 50-over warm-up match, Gymkhana, Hyderabad
October 14 - 1st ODI (D/N), Rajiv Gandhi International Stadium, Hyderabad
October 17 - 2nd ODI (D/N), Feroz Shah Kotla, Delhi
October 20 - 3rd ODI (D/N), Punjab Cricket Association Stadium, Mohali
October 23 - 4th ODI (D/N), Wankhede Stadium, Mumbai
October 25 - 5th ODI (D/N), Eden Gardens, Kolkata
October 29 - lone Twenty20 international (D/N), Eden Gardens, Kolkata

England v Pakistan, UAE

The ECB and PCB have agreed that the tour will comprise three Test matches, four ODIs and three T20s to be played in Dubai and Abu Dhabi. A detailed itinerary will be announced in due course.

England in Sri Lanka

The programme of warm-up matches leading into the Test series will be confirmed in due course but the two Test matches are scheduled as follows:

March 26-30 - 1st Test, Galle
April 3-7 - 2nd Test, Colombo (venue tbc)