England cricketers arrive in Karachi for first Pakistan tour since 2005 - in pictures

The England cricket team touched down in Karachi on Thursday morning for their first tour of Pakistan in 17 years.

England last played in Pakistan in 2005 and were due to visit last year until pulling out at short notice after New Zealand also cancelled a tour citing safety concerns.

Both moves infuriated the Pakistan Cricket Board (PCB), desperate to rehabilitate its security reputation. It claimed New Zealand refused to share details of the security threat, while England were unwilling to play “in restricted Covid environments” when Pakistan had taken a huge risk by travelling to England for a tour in 2020 during the peak of the pandemic and when vaccines were not available.

Following a deadly 2009 attack by Islamist militants on the Sri Lankan team bus in Lahore, Pakistan were forced to play international matches at neutral venues such as the UAE, where they hosted England for series in 2012 and 2015.

Over the past five years, international cricket has gradually returned to Pakistan and earlier this year Australia toured successfully for the first time in nearly a quarter of a century.

The PCB said that the Australia series had "demonstrated our event planning and operational skills" and expressed confidence that the England games will also pass off safely.

Pakistan's Babar Azam celebrates his a half century on his way to a score of 114 off 83 balls during the second One Day International between Pakistan and Australia at the Gaddafi Cricket Stadium in Lahore, Pakistan, on March 31, 2022. EPA

On match days, roads between the England team hotel and Karachi's National stadium will be sealed off and under armed guard.

A helicopter will monitor their journey and shops and offices overlooking the stadium will be ordered