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Mumbai: After their campaign in the ongoing World Cup, Pakistan will face International Cricket Council (ICC)'s associate member Ireland in a two-match ODI series in the latter's backyard in May.
The ties between Pakistan - who are to take on arch foes India in the World Cup semis on March 30 at Mohali - and Ireland, the best associate outfit in the tournament, would be held at Stormont, Belfast, on May 27 and 29, a release from Cricket Ireland said.
Pakistan would get their chance to avenge the shock defeat to the Irish in the 2007 World Cup in the West Indies that resulted in the former champions' early elimination from that edition.
In the ongoing tournament, Ireland shocked England in the league phase before making their exit.
Cricket Ireland Chief Executive Warren Deutrom welcomed the games as a vehicle to give the team regular engagements against the world's top outfits.
"Following our recent World Cup campaign, the need to play the world's best teams on a more regular basis has become more pressing than ever to give us the experience to continue to compete at the highest level," Deutrom said.
"The series gives us precisely that opportunity, and we are extremely grateful to our four major financial supporters for their swift and generous response to Cricket Ireland."
"We are also extremely grateful to the Pakistan Cricket Board (PCB) for agreeing to these fixtures, particularly coming as they do at the end of a long time away from home for the squad," Deutrom said.
PCB Chairman Ijaz Butt was also happy with the chance to play Ireland.
"The fight that the Irish team displayed at the World Cup lit up the event and has added a new flavour to international cricket. The Pakistan team's upcoming tour is in line with ICC and PCB's vision of cricket development and support to associate members," he said.
"We anticipate a hard fought series as the Irish team has shown that they are capable of playing against the best in the world."
Ireland coach Phil Simmons saw the ODI series as a continuing process in the development of his squad.
This is what we have been crying out for - fixtures against the top teams in the world. We have shown just how much our cricket has improved, and by playing these types of games, it'll keep growing in the right direction.
"We're due to play Sri Lanka and England as well this summer, so that's definitely a step in the right direction as far as Irish cricket is concerned. These games mean we will have played all the top ten teams in world cricket in just over 12 months," the former West Indies opener said.
