by: Aasif Sheikh.
The matches between Pakistan and West Indies are relocated from Rawalpindi to Multan due to political uncertainty in Islamabad, the capital, adjacent to Rawalpindi.
The 3 match ODIs series is part of the Cricket World Cup Super League and is to be played on June 8, 10 and 12, where these games were originally planned to be played in Rawalpindi and PCB has Multan as a backup option due to former Prime Minister Imran Khan potentially planning protest rallies in the capital over the coming days.
Multan stadium remained the option, with Lahore and Karachi pitches being relaid and the Arbab Naiz Stadium in Peshawar also undergoing renovation work.
Multan is located in southern Punjab and it is the hottest city in the country, where the temperature in the high 40s is expected on matchdays. For reference, Pakistan has never hosted elite cricket at this time of the year due to the summer heat. Both teams will be facing the heat equally as both have not played on these grounds in such heat but still, Pakistan will have the advantage of the home ground.
The games will start at 4 pm in the afternoon keeping the weather in mind and Pakistan will carry out their training camp in Lahore 1-4, before the squad moves to Multan.
The ODI series has been carried over the T20I which was played last December and due to the Covid outbreak in the West Indies camp forcing the postponement of the ODIs and there will no biosecure bubble for the series.
