Cricket South Africa on Wednesday announced that the Proteas will travel to Pakistan early next year for their first tour since 2007.

It will consist of a two-match Test and a three-match T20I series across three venues in Karachi, Rawalpindi and Lahore, respectively.

The tour is scheduled to run from 26 January to 14 February 2021, with the team arriving in Karachi on 16 January. They will go into a period of quarantine before commencing with training and inter-squad practice matches.

The Test series, which will form part of the ICC Test Championship, will be played at the National Stadium in Karachi before the teams travel to Rawalpindi for the second fixture taking place from 4-8 February.

The three T20I matches will be played at Gaddafi Stadium in Lahore – South Africa’s first-ever T20I series in Pakistan. The previous two T20 international series they played were hosted by Pakistan in the United Arab Emirates (UAE).

The last time the two teams met in Pakistan was in 2007 when South Africa beat the hosts 1-0 in a two-match Test series.

South Africa will become the fourth country to tour Pakistan in the past 15 months after Sri Lanka, Bangladesh and Zimbabwe.

CSA director of cricket Graeme Smith said: ‘It’s pleasing to see so many countries making a return to Pakistan – a proud, cricket-loving nation. Cricket South Africa is delighted to be counted among them. As someone who has toured the country on more than one occasion back in my playing days, I know how much passion the people of Pakistan have for the game as well as the love and support that the Proteas enjoy there as a team.

‘I would like to thank the Pakistan Cricket Board [PCB] for the hospitality and transparency they showed our security contingent when they travelled over there a few weeks ago.

‘The report on their findings and recommendations gives us confidence as an organisation that all of our team’s security, playing and accommodation needs will be met, and that the well-being of the team will be the top priority. We look forward to embarking on this historical tour.’

South Africa tour to Pakistan itinerary

26-30 January – 1st Test, Karachi

4-8 February – 2nd Test, Rawalpindi

11 February – 1st T20I, Lahore

13 February – 2nd T20I, Lahore

14 February – 3rd T20I, Lahore