Lahore smog adjourns Windies T20 series

Pakistan have put off their three-match Twenty20 International series with West Indies, originally scheduled for later this month, to March next year, citing weather conditions as the reason for postponement.

Pakistan Cricket Board chairman Najam Sethi announced the new dates at an impromptu press conference in Lahore on Saturday.

"The weather conditions were not conducive so we did not take any risk and next year a full strength West Indies team will play three Twenty20 matches on March 29, 31 and April 1," said Sethi.

A combination of smoke and fog has paralysed daily life in Lahore, and also threatened the staging of cricket matches.

Pakistan had hoped three-match series would further help them revive international cricket in their country, where foreign teams have been refusing to tour over security fears for eight years.

International cricket was suspended in Pakistan after terrorists attacks on the Sri Lankan team bus in Lahore in 2009, which killed eight people and injured several players.

Pakistan hosted Zimbabwe for a limited overs series in 2015 followed by staging of the final of the Pakistan Super League and Twenty20 series with a World XI (which featured Australians George Bailey, Tim Paine and Ben Cutting) both this year.

Last month Sri Lanka became the first high profile national team to play an international match in Pakistan since the 2009 terrorist attack.

Sethi said the PCB and Cricket West Indies have agreed to play annual T20 series for the next five years.

"Pakistan and West Indies boards have signed an agreement to play a series of T20 each year for the next five years, first in Pakistan and then in the United States subject to the availability of the venue and dates," said Sethi.

A third team will also be invited to the USA for a tri-series, said Sethi.