Pakistan and Australia will play two Tests and two Twenty20 internationals in England next July, after the England & Wales Cricket Board reached a staging agreement with their Pakistan counterparts.

“The Pakistan team performed outstandingly well in the World T20 tournament in England and were worthy world champions,” said the ECB chairman, Giles Clarke. “The passion of the support for their team in England demonstrated why this country is an ideal venue for these matches against Australia.”

“The warm relations between our two Boards has developed further under the leadership of the current PCB Chairman Ijaz Butt, with whom I enjoy an excellent working relationship, and ECB is delighted to support Pakistan in staging these matches.”

The two boards also confirmed that England will host Pakistan for four Tests, five ODIs and two T20Is in August and September of next year.

Clarke, meanwhile, has accepted the role of chairman of the ICC Pakistan Task Team, a body set up by the ICC to provide strategies and solutions to assist the PCB in protecting its position in international cricket.

“The Pakistan Cricket Board is faced with a very challenging situation at present and ECB in its role as a member of the global cricket community is keen to offer PCB all possible assistance at such a difficult time,” said Clarke. “I am delighted to take on this role and will be liaising closely with my colleagues at PCB in the coming weeks and months.”