Cricket Australia has confirmed that its men’s team will travel to Pakistan for the first time in 24 years and will play three Tests, three ODIs and a separate T20I match on the tour, which begins on March 4.
The revised itinerary will see Rawalpindi host the first Test of the Tour’s opening ceremony, in exchange for Karachi, which will now host the second Test from March 12. The schedule has been revised to ease logistical and operational challenges and to avoid the Pakistan Day rehearsal that normally begins the second week of March in Islamabad.
The Gaddafi Stadium in Lahore will be the venue for the final test. Both teams will then return to Rawalpindi, with each of the four white-ball matches to be played between March 29 and April 5. Three Tests will count towards the ICC Test Championship standings, while the ODI will be part of the World Cup Premier League.
According to an agreement between the two committees, the Australian test party will complete quarantine in Australia before arriving in Islamabad on a chartered flight on February 27. They will train at the Pindi Cricket Stadium after a day of room isolation. The white ball players are expected to arrive in Lahore on March 24.
The official approval of cricket in Australia marks a major milestone for the big teams to return to play in Pakistan, even if some Tour players remain skeptical. New Zealand and Britain cancelled trips to Pakistan late last year, citing safety concerns. However, the ECB has since agreed to travel to Pakistan for seven T20Is and three T20 World Cups by the end of 2022.
“We are delighted that the Cricket Australia Council has officially approved their team’s five-week tour and confirmed that their best players will be visiting Pakistan for the first time in 24 years,” said PCB CEO Faisal Hasnay. Faisal Hasnain) said. “We are really excited to host Pat Cummins and his players and look forward to a competitive series with three Tests, three ODIs and a T20I.
“While Australia will be doing well in the home series against England, our team has been playing excellent cricket to sweep our players across the ICC awards. This sets the stage for a very competitive series , fans will thoroughly enjoy and remember for a long time.”
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