Islamabad, May 21: The Pakistan Cricket Board has shortlisted the United Arab Emirates and three other countries to host its ODI and Twenty20 series against Australia later this year.
The PCB's director of international cricket, Intikhab Alam, said Monday that Malaysia, Zimbabwe and South Africa are the other contenders.
Pakistan has to look for an alternative venue after Sri Lanka last week pulled out of hosting the series because it is organizing the Sri Lanka Premier League in August.
"They (Sri Lanka) had their own problems so we have to look for alternative venue," Alam told The Associated Press.
The PCB is planning to host the five ODIs and three T20s against Australia close to the World Twenty20 to be hosted by Sri Lanka in September.
Alam said that PCB might schedule the series against Australia for after Ramadan, which ends the third week of August.
"We are looking into it, but the venue will be finalized by the end of this week."
The PCB has been forced to organize its home series at neutral venues after foreign teams refused to tour Pakistan because of security concerns since 2009 when gunmen attacked Sri Lanka team bus at Lahore.
Pakistan has organized its home series against South Africa, Sri Lanka and England in the UAE over the last three years.
