The International Cricket Council (ICC) says it will not be sending match officials to Pakistan due to security concerns ahead of next week's limited-overs series between Pakistan and Zimbabwe in the eastern city of Lahore.

The game's governing body says in a statement that the ‘decision has been made after receiving a report from its security consultant.’

The Pakistan Cricket Board will appoint local match officials to stand in for the ICC officials for the duration of the series.

The ICC also says that the two Twenty20 and three ODI matches will be considered ‘official’.

Zimbabwe is scheduled to arrive on Tuesday and it will be the first test playing nation to tour Pakistan in the six years since gunmen attacked a Sri Lanka team bus in Lahore.