Windies to tour Pakistan in Oct-Nov for 3 Tests, 5 ODIs

St Kitts, June 17 (UNI) West Indies will tour Pakistan towards the end of the year to play three Test and five one day matches in November-December.

A CMC report quoted Zorol Barthley, the WICB cricket operations manager, as saying that both West Indies Cricket Board and its Pakistanu counterpart had agreed to the number of matches even though the dates and venues were yet to be finalised.

''We will be going to Pakistan after we defend our title in the Champions Trophy (scheduled in India from October 7 to November 5). We are on the verge of coming to an agreement with the PCB on the exact dates and venues. We will have a full slate of matches and this will be good for West Indies cricket and the West Indies players,'' Mr Barthley said.

The WICB official said the five ODIs in Pakistan would be a good build up for next year's World Cup.

''Every opportunity we get to get in any kind of preparations we can we will use. Pakistan is a tough, strong opponent and they will provide a good test,'' he said.

UNI XC AY BD1158