Australian cricket crew reaches Pakistan for first tour in 24 years amid tight safety

In the course of the tour, the Aussie males will tackle Inexperienced Shirts in three Take a look at matches, the identical variety of ODIs and one T20. The primary match of the Take a look at collection will start on March 4 in Rawalpindi. It will likely be adopted by Exams in Karachi and Lahore earlier than three ODIs and a single T20, all in Rawalpindi.

Senior batsman Steve Smith posted an image on Twitter of the 35-strong Australia tour get together inside their constitution flight’s cabin after it touched down within the Pakistan capital, Islamabad.

Arrived in ?? pic.twitter.com/pnis0ckFeO

— Steve Smith (@stevesmith49) February 27, 2022

Pakistan have struggled to draw visiting sides since a deadly terror assault on the visiting Sri Lanka crew’s bus in 2009. Australia pulled out of a tour 5 years earlier after a suicide blast at a Lahore church.

They final performed in Pakistan in 1998, profitable the three-Take a look at collection 1-0 and blanking the hosts within the three one-day internationals.

Having been pressured to play their residence video games overseas — largely within the United Arab Emirates — Pakistan appeared to have reassured worldwide cricket authorities final 12 months with each New Zealand and England scheduled to tour.

Our Aussie males have arrived in Islamabad ✈️ ?? #PAKvAUS pic.twitter.com/PtX4dvKRmr

— Cricket Australia (@CricketAus) February 27, 2022

However the Black Caps swiftly departed in September simply minutes earlier than their first match was as a result of begin, citing safety fears, and England postponed excursions by each their males’s and ladies’s groups quickly after.

The selections incensed Pakistan cricket authorities, who felt that they had carried out every thing doable to make sure security and safety.

Those that arrived in Pakistan at the moment embody Pat Cummins (c), Steve Smith (vc), Marnus Labuschagne, Josh Hazlewood, Mitchell Marsh, Usman Khawaja, Nathan Lyon, Mitchell Starc and others.

Pakistan Cricket Board (PCB) officers welcomed the gamers upon arrival on the Islamabad Worldwide Airport.

Take a look at schedule:

March 4-8 — First Take a look at, Rawalpindi

March 12-16 — Second Take a look at, Karachi

March 21-25 — Third Take a look at, Lahore

Pakistan squad

Babar Azam (captain), Mohammad Rizwan (vice-captain), Abdullah Shafique, Azhar Ali, Faheem Ashraf, Fawad Alam, Haris Rauf, Hasan Ali, Imam-ul-Haq, Nauman Ali, Sajid Khan, Saud Shakeel, Shaheen Shah Afridi, Shan Masood, and Zahid Mahmood.

Australia squad

Cricket Australia has already introduced an 18-member Take a look at squad.

Pat Cummins (c), Ashton Agar, Scott Boland, Alex Carey, Cameron Inexperienced, Marcus Harris, Josh Hazlewood, Travis Head, Josh Inglis, Usman Khawaja, Marnus Labuschagne, Nathan Lyon, Mitchell Marsh, Michael Neser, Steve Smith (vc), Mitchell Starc, Mitchell Swepson, and David Warner.