An ICC spokesman confirmed to PakPassion.net that the Pakistan Cricket Board (PCB) has contacted the ICC to request approval for playing more than three T20Is in its series against Australia.

by Nasser Khan

14th June 2012

The growing importance of the T20 format on the world stage and the increasing stature of the ICC World Twenty20 has led teams to place greater emphasis on preparations for the tournament. Meticulous preparation, as England exhibited in 2011, and acclimatisation to local conditions are key aims for teams as the World Twenty20 tournament to be hosted by Sri Lanka in September 2012 draws closer.

Prior to the ICC World T20, Pakistan are scheduled to meet Australia for a series of limited overs internationals at a venue yet to be confirmed, although UAE seems to be the frontrunner. The original choice of Sri Lanka playing host for the series was declined by the Sri Lankan Cricket board due to the clash with the Sri Lankan Premier League, which is also due to be held in August. 

Given the proximity of the scheduled matches to the World Twenty20, the two teams are seeking to maximise their chances at the tournament by substituting the ODI matches for T20Is, thereby increasing their exposure to the shorter format and the Pakistan Cricket Board has contacted the ICC to request approval for playing more than three T20Is in its series against Australia.

An ICC spokesman confirmed this to PakPassion.net "The PCB contacted the ICC last month, requesting permission to play more than three T20Is in its forthcoming series against Australia. The ICC reminded the PCB that as per the ICC Board decision, a Member can only play three T20Is in a series and if it wants to depart from this restriction, then the ICC can take this request to the ICC Chief Executives' Committee (CEC) which will meet in Kuala Lumpur during the ICC annual conference from 24-28 June."

ICC rules currently specify that a team can play only 12 T20Is per year, including a maximum of three in a series. However, in an ICC World Twenty20 year, a team is allowed to play three additional T20Is but the cap on number of matches in a bilateral series remains at three.

The PCB and Cricket Australia will be hoping the ICC are accommodating to the PCB's request to increase the number of T20Is when the sides meet, particularly given the difficulties the players would face in playing the scheduled 50-over matches in the stifling late-August heat of the UAE, should that location be selected to host the series. 

The T20I matches would help the teams assess their strongest line-ups and provide the coaches with an opportunity to experiment prior to the commencement of the ICC World T20. 

However, rejection of the request by the ICC should the PCB submit a formal request, shouldn't be considered a major obstacle to success in the World T20. Pakistan had played few T20 warm-up games in 2009 and went on to raise the cup on the back of some exceptional individual performances as their side evolved through the duration of the tournament.