London: As part of the World Test Championship, Pakistan will tour England next year for three Tests, it was announced on Wednesday.

The tour will also see the two teams engage in three T20Is and the first Test will be on July 3.

“This tour holds special significance since this will be Pakistan’s first-ever tour of England for World Test Championship matches,” Zakir Khan, PCB’s director of International cricket, said.

“A tour of England tests the skills and limits of the visiting sides and I anticipate this tour to help Pakistan furnish their red-ball skills and also prepare them for the all-important ICC T20 World Cup in Australia latter in 2020.

“The PCB and the English and Wales Cricket Board enjoy an amicable relationship and this being Pakistan’s third bilateral tour of England in the last four years perfectly mirrors it. In 2010, the ECB provided the PCB facilities to host Australia in a two-match Test series.”

The first Test will be played at Lord’s while the second will take place in Manchester (from August 7) with the final game being hosted at Trent Bridge from August 20.

The three T20Is will be played on August 29, 31 and September 2 in Leeds, Cardiff and Southampton, respectively. It was also confirmed that England’s return tour in 2022 will be played in October (3 ODIs) and in December (3 Tests).

“The ICC World Test Championship will add significance and context to the Test series against West Indies and Pakistan,” ECB chief executive officer Tom Harrison said in a statement.

“Where every Test matters, there will be lots of points to play for as England continue their efforts to reach the World Test Championship final.” England begin their 2020 programme with three tests against the West Indies, with the first match starting at The Oval on June 4, followed by matches at Edgbaston and Lord’s.

England schedule 2020: West Indies: First Test: June 4-8, The Oval Second Test: June 12-16, Edgbaston Third Test: June 25-29, Lord’s Australia: First T20: July 3, Chester-le-Street Second T20: July 5, Old Trafford Third T20: July 7, Headingley.

First ODI: July 11, Lord’s Second ODI: July 14, Rose Bowl Third ODI: July 16, Bristol Pakistan: First Test: July 30-August 3, Lord’s Second Test: August 7-11, Old Trafford Third Test: August 20-24, Trent Bridge First T20: August 29, Headingley Second T20: August 31, Sophia Gardens Third T20: September 2, Rose Bowl Ireland: First ODI: September 10, Trent Bridge Second ODI: September 12, Edgbaston Third ODI: September 15, The Oval.