KARACHI
A four-member delegation of Cricket Australia that includes security experts, arrived today (Tuesday) to assess the security situation in Pakistan.
Australia are scheduled to play a full series in Pakistan in March-April 2022. The full series will comprise three Test matches, an equal number of ODIs and one T20 match between the two sides.
This will be the first time in 24 years that an Australian cricket team is visiting Pakistan for a series.
As per sources, the four-member team will visit the National Stadium in Karachi.
The delegation comprised three Australian security experts and top-notch security consultant Reg Dickason.
The security team is also scheduled to visit Lahore and Rawalpindi and will assess the security arrangements at the hotels, stadiums and along the routes. Australia’s tour of Pakistan is subjected to clearance from the security team.
PCB sources said that officials of the Interior Ministry will also brief the delegation about the security arrangements during the visit. The security team will also watch the initial two T20 fixtures between Pakistan and West Indies, the sources added.
‘Some Australian players may not be comfortable touring Pakistan’
On November 9, Australian skipper Tim Paine had said there will be certain players in the camp who will not be “comfortable” touring Pakistan next year.
In an interview with Australian radio station SEN, Tim Paine had admitted that some players may not be 100% on board with touring Pakistan.
“There’ll be some guys who will be happy to take the experts’ advice and others will want to know a bit more,” Paine had said. “If we’re totally honest, there might be some people who aren’t comfortable going regardless.
Paine had admitted that there will be “issues that will, I’m sure, pop up.”
He had said the team will discuss the subject and hopefully, get the right answers. “Hopefully, we will get the best team we can,” he had said, adding that the decision to either go or not go to Pakistan rests with an individual, instead of the team.
