Pakistan's home series against the Black Caps will be held in New Zealand this summer, with Dunedin's University Oval in line to host one of the three cricket tests.
Otago cricket fans already have reason to celebrate today - it is understood provincial captain Craig Cumming will receive an international recall and be named in New Zealand's squad to tour Sri Lanka in August and September.
New Zealand Cricket cancelled its tour of Pakistan earlier this year following a terrorist attack on the Sri Lankan team bus in Lahore in which seven cricketers were injured and six policemen and a driver killed.
New Zealand were scheduled to visit Pakistan for three tests as well as four one-day internationals and two Twenty20 matches.
However, security concerns have led to a compromise arrangement, whereby the tests will now be played in New Zealand starting in late November, while the one-dayers and Twenty20 games will take place in the United Arab Emirates in October.
New Zealand Cricket (NZC) chief executive Justin Vaughan today said his organisation was not set to profit financially from the revised scheduling arrangements.
"Hosting a test series actually loses money and we don't own the broadcasting rights either. Pakistan still owns that," Vaughan told Radio Sport.
He said NZC would not suffer a financial loss on the series because Pakistan would cover the costs associated with New Zealand hosting the series.
Otago Cricket chief executive Ross Dykes is confident the University Oval will be one of the leading contenders.
Dykes acknowledged the venue had its drawbacks - Vaughan has previously expressed reservations about the venue's drainage and it was labelled New Zealand's worst major cricket ground by players in a survey organised by the Cricket Players Association - but he remained confident it was a good option.
"We've just got to keep working at it and improve it," Dykes said.
"We do need longer boundaries, we do need better practice facilities and we do need to improve the drainage.
"There are things to work on but I don't think there is any question that this is test match ground and it will get better."
Vaughan said venues for the tests had not been finalised.
"We need to be mindful of the weather, but the tests won't be starting that early (in the New Zealand summer).
"First-class cricket would have been going for a little while so we're not talking about a ridiculously early start for the series.
"But the weather here in December can be fickle so we probably need to be mindful of that."
New Zealand are also hosting tours by Bangladesh and Australia next summer.
NZC is looking to release a confirmed playing schedule for 2009-10 by the end of this month.
