Melbourne, 27 December 2021 (TDI): The Chief Executive of Cricket Australia (CA), Nick Hockley has cleared the ambiguity regarding the scheduled tour of his team to Pakistan for the next year that the bilateral series will go ahead as it has been planned despite Covid-19 concerns.
In a month-long series starting from March 3, 2022, Australia will play three Test matches, three one-day internationals (ODIs), and one Twenty-20 international (T20I).
According to the schedule, from March 3 up to 25, the test matches will be played in Karachi, Rawalpindi, and Lahore, while from March 29 to April 5 all four white-ball matches will be played in Lahore.
Narrative of Nick Hockley
In the Melbourne Cricket Ground, Nick Hockley said that Australia has not visited Pakistan since 1998 but both teams have met in Australia, UAE, and England. However, to play in the future, they are collaborating with the Pakistan Cricket Board (PCB) and other relevant authorities.
They are highly committed to touring Pakistan, despite the fact that it is a very complicated endeavor. It is certainly their desire to travel as long as it is safe to do so.
Hope and Reservations of PCB Chairman
The Chairman of the Pakistan Cricket Board (PCB), Ramiz Raja had expressed his hope with confidence that Australia, England, and New Zealand, will affirmatively tour Pakistan in the next year as per schedule.
Ramiz Raja along with PCB Chief Operating Officer, Faisal Husnain said that they have made the world aware of their participation at the International Cricket Council meetings.
By keeping the reservations, he cited the tour of England’s team to Pakistan that England withdrew their men and women squads in October (where the men’s team was scheduled to play two Twenty20s) by entailing reservations over their players’ safety.
In this regard, it looks impervious to him that Australia’s tour the next March may not go ahead. Because it all started in September when New Zealand unexpectedly canceled their tour to Pakistan by citing a security warning, dealing a big blow to Pakistan’s dreams of hosting regular international cricket matches.
The New Zealand cricket team arrived for the first time in 18 years to play in Pakistan on September 11 of this year for three One-Day Internationals (ODIs) and five Twenty20 Internationals (T20Is).
The ODI series against New Zealand was intended to be played at the Rawalpindi Stadium on September 17, 19, and 21, while from September 25 to October 3, the Gaddafi Stadium was set to host five T20 matches.
