London, Aug. 5: New Zealand will tour Pakistan next month for the first time since 2003. The sides will play three one-day internationals and five Twenty20 matches in Rawalpindi and Lahore.

"It's great that, after such a difficult time for Pakistan, international cricket is again being played in the country," said New Zealand cricket chief David White.

The Pakistan Cricket Board said the tour "will reinforce Pakistan's status as a safe and secure country".

International sides have largely stayed away from Pakistan since the 2009 terror attack on Sri Lanka's team bus en route to a match in Lahore.

Pakistan Cricket Board's chief executive Wasim Khan said the "series against a top-ranked side like New Zealand will be a perfect start to a mouth-watering and highly exciting home season of red and white-ball cricket".

The Kiwis are world Test champions, having defeated India by eight wickets in a rain-affected match at the Rose Bowl in June. They also reached the one-day final in 2019, losing a nail biter to England at Lords.

Rawalpindi will host the first of the one-day games on 17 September, while the T20 matches will be played in Lahore.

Pakistan is currently in the West Indies for a two-match Test series beginning next week. They are set to host West Indies and England later this year, and Australia early next year.

In recent years the venue for England, Australia and New Zealand tours of Pakistan has been on neutral territory in the United Arab Emirates.

New Zealand has five T20 games scheduled in Bangladesh in early September before heading to Pakistan.