Pak to play two-day practice match against UAE to prepare for Proteas series

Pakistan will reportedly play a two-day practice match against the national cricket team of the United Arab Emirates (UAE) as a part of their preparations for the upcoming series against South Africa.

The high-profile 'home' series for Pakistan will have special significance following their 3-0 drubbing by South Africa, which is the world's top-ranked team, earlier this year.

According to www.PakPassion.net, former Pakistan fast bowler and current coach of the UAE team Aaqib Javed confirmed the match, saying that the UAE team is expected to face a full-strength Pakistan team in a 2 innings a side game on October 9 and 10, adding that the game might be played at Abu Dhabi, which is also the venue of Pakistan's first Test against South Africa.

The report mentioned that the close connections of Javed, who played 22 Tests and 163 ODIs for Pakistan between 1988 and 1998, with the Pakistan Cricket Board (PCB) might have had a role behind the arrangement of these games.

According to the report, Pakistan has shown their willingness to assist the associate cricketing nations in the ICC by playing against them on a regular basis like they did with Afghanistan, Scotland and Ireland recently and now with the UAE.

The series against South Africa commences on October 14 with the start of the 1st Test match in Abu Dhabi, with the 2nd Test match scheduled to start on the October 23.

The two teams then play three ODIs in Sharjah, Dubai and Abu Dhabi starting on October 30, with the tour concluding on November 15 with two Twenty20 games played in Dubai, the report added.