Karachi: Cricket Australia on Friday approved its first tour of Pakistan in 24 years with a revised route announced by both boards amid ongoing safety concerns.
After a 4-0 Ashes win against England at home, Australia will play three Tests – in Rawalpindi, Karachi and Lahore.
They also play three one-day internationals and a T20I on the full tour.
The opening test match will be played from March 4 to 8 in Rawalpindi and the four whiteball matches are scheduled from March 29 to April 5.
The tour now begins and ends in Rawalpindi with the opening test being played from March 4-8 and the four whiteball matches being played from March 29 to April 5.
The second Test will be played in Karachi from March 12-16 and the third in Lahore from March 12-16.
Pakistan Cricket Board (PCB) chief executive Faisal Hasnain said: “We are delighted that the Cricket Australia Board has formally approved their side’s five-week itinerary and confirmed that their best players available will visit Pakistan for the first time in 24 years. .
“We are very excited to host Pat Cummins and his players, and look forward to a competitive series that will consist of three Tests, three ODIs and a T20I.”
The tour comes as a huge boost to Pakistan, which was hit hard when New Zealand and England abruptly stopped their planned tour of the country last year due to security concerns.
Since the 2009 terrorist attack on the Sri Lankan team bus in Lahore, there has been no top-level international cricket in Pakistan for nearly a decade.
“While Australia will arrive with strong performances in their home series against England, our team has played excellent cricket, which has resulted in our players winning the ICC Awards,” Hasnain.
The schedule has been revised to ease logistical and operational challenges and to avoid Pakistan Day rehearsals, which usually begin in the second week of March in Islamabad.
The two cricket boards also agree that the Australia Test side will complete its isolation in Australia, before arriving in Islamabad on a chartered flight on 27 February. After a one-day hotel isolation, they will hold training sessions at Pindi Cricket Stadium.
Australia’s white ball players are expected to arrive in Lahore on March 24 after isolation in Australia. After a one-day isolation on arrival, they will integrate with other members of the party and travel to Islamabad for the first ODI in Rawalpindi.
The tests are part of the ICC World Test Championship, while the ODIs are linked to the World Cup Super League from which the top eight, including host nation India, will qualify directly for the 2023 50-over World Cup.
Revised schedule:
Feb 27 Arrival in Islamabad
March 4-8 1st Test, Rawalpindi
March 12-16 2nd Test, Karachi
March 21-25 3rd Test, Lahore
March 29 1st ODI, Rawalpindi
March 31, 2nd ODI, Rawalpindi
2 April 3 ODI, Rawalpindic
April 5 one-off T20I, Rawalpindi
April 6 – Departure.
