T20 To Mark The Damage Caused By The Floods

Pakistan will don a "special jersey" for the inaugural England T20 to mark the damage caused by the floods.

The national cricket team will wear a special jersey in the T20 opener against England today 'to raise awareness of the devastation caused by the floods in the country, according to the Pakistan Cricket Board (PCB).

More than 1,540 people lost their lives in floods that affected nearly 33 million people, destroyed homes, crops, bridges, roads, and livestock, and cost an estimated $30 billion to repair. The floods were brought on by record monsoon rains in southern and southwestern Pakistan and melting ice in northern regions.

Fast bowler Shahnawaz Dahani Tweeted a photo of himself wearing the jersey, which is a shade of blue, as opposed to the typical green palette. "Pakistan's new dedicated flood-affected kit," he wrote in the tweet.

In the photo shared by PCB, the player's number can be seen with a pattern of water rising from below, signifying flooding.

Of the seven rounds of T20 matches, the first four matches will be held in Karachi on September 20, 22, 23, and 25 and the final three in Lahore on September 28, 30, and October 2.

The PCB pledged all receipts from the first T20 to the Prime Minister's Flood Relief Fund 'to help victims of the devastating floods which submerged a third of the country, it said in a press release yesterday.

In December, the current 50+ world champions England will also play a Test series in Pakistan, followed by New Zealand's return.

England was scheduled to visit in October of last year but had to be abruptly postponed when New Zealand canceled a tour owing to security concerns.