The Pakistan Cricket Board (PCB) announced on Monday that Cricket Australia (CA) has confirmed its 23-year visit to Pakistan.
Australia will visit Pakistan in March-April to play three Tests, as many ODIs, and just one T20I, according to the PCB.
The Tests will be held in Karachi (3-7 March), Rawalpindi (12-16 March), and Lahore (21-25 March), with the four white-ball matches taking place in Lahore from March 29 to April 5.
The Tests will be part of the ICC World Test Championship, while the ODIs will be part of the ICC Men’s Cricket World Cup Super League, a 13-team competition from which the top seven teams, as well as the hosts, India, would qualify directly for the 2023 World Cup.
“I am happy to welcome Australia to Pakistan,” said PCB Chairman Ramiz Raja. From a personal standpoint, the fact that we’ll be playing a three-Test match series will thrill aficionados.
“Australia is one of the best teams in the world, and seeing them play in our backyard for the first time in 24 years will be a great pleasure for the fans.”
“Similarly, it will be a fantastic opportunity for Australia cricketers to not only play at our iconic venues, but also to experience and appreciate the respect, love, and hospitality that this great country has to offer, something that most of their previous generation of cricketers missed out on by playing overseas.”
“Cricket Australia is pleased about the possibility of traveling Pakistan next year for what will be a highly anticipated series in a country so tremendously passionate about the game and its national side,” said Cricket Australia Chief Executive Nick Hockley.
“As proven by their spectacular performances in the current ICC Men’s T20 World Cup in the UAE, Pakistan is a difficult opponent with an extraordinarily skilled squad.
“We appreciate the PCB’s efforts in preparing the trip, and we look forward to working closely with them in the coming months to finalize the essential operations, logistics, security, and Covid-19 guidelines.”
“Our players and staff’s safety and well-being remain our first concern, and we will continue to engage with the PCB and other relevant organizations to ensure that adequate and sufficient provisions are made for the trip.”