Aussies to tour Pakistan.

[Donny]

Pakistan Cricket Board confirm dates for a three-Test tour, plus white-ball matches, that will be Australia's first cricket on Pakistani soil since 1998.

More: https://www.cricket.com.au/news/pakistan-tour-cricket-australia-tests-announcement-drought-return-pcb-2022/2021-11-08

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March 3-7: First Test, Karachi

March 12-16: Second Test, Rawalpindi

March 21-25: Third Test, Lahore

March 29: First ODI, Lahore

March 31: Second ODI, Lahore

April 2: Third ODI, Lahore

April 5: Only T20, Lahore

[K]

M. Conn:

Richardson out of Pakistan tour...

https://www.smh.com.au/sport/cricket/richardson-out-of-pakistan-tour-warner-to-miss-t20s-against-sri-lanka-20220124-p59qvp.html

"Cricket Australia wants to look after the long-term welfare of Richardson...

Richardson is more likely to be selected for a shorter tour of Sri Lanka mid-year.

The sudden emergence of Scott Boland as a flat-track workhorse and the return to fitness of Josh Hazlewood has left Australia with such fast bowling riches that the long-term development of Richardson is considered best placed outside Australia’s touring squad in the short term.

He may also be encouraged to play in England, either with a county or as part of a possible Australia A tour, to better prepare him for next year’s Ashes series.
...

Apart from Richardson, Australia look set to send a full squad to Pakistan for the three-Test series, beginning in early March."

[K]

Richardson: "These conversations have always been positive, there's never been a negative word said regardless. It's making sure we're in the best place possible to play for the next 10 years, and making sure the body is right and 100 percent moving forward.

"It would be exciting to play Test cricket in the subcontinent, it's a big challenge. But for me now the focus is most certainly on the Sri Lankan series with another T20 World Cup coming up."


Bailey: "He is a player that we we've got long term expectations for. He still hasn't played a huge amount of cricket coming back from the injuries and things that he's had over the past couple of years. So just making sure that he gets the opportunity to build up the way that he needs to build up is really important."


Richardson: "I had a scan on it [the shin], and it showed the muscle was pulling on the bone a little bit, so there was a little bit of stress there, which is why it's taken longer to settle down. But throughout the whole time it's been functional. I've been able to play and bowl throughout that whole series, and then moving into Scorchers stuff."


(cricinfo)

[Donny]

"No Australia player has indicated they want to opt out of touring Pakistan with selectors "well down the track" to finalising a Test squad, despite uncertainty about the resumption of the Marsh Sheffield Shield season.

National selector George Bailey said today he believed security plans were "very, very robust and very, very thorough" after multiple briefings for what would be the first Australian tour of the country since Mark Taylor's men visited in 1998.

"I believe the boards are still working through some of the minor details around that tour, so once that gets the formal tick of approval then we'll announce the squad post that, but we're reasonably well down the track," Bailey told reporters today."

CA.

[Donny]

Revised Pakistan tour dates:

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

April 2: 3rd ODI, Rawalpindi

April 5: T20I, Rawalpindi

[Donny]

"While confirming that David Warner and Usman Khawaja will likely start as openers in Pakistan, George Bailey said it was also important Australia looked to the future

Selection chair George Bailey has effectively confirmed veteran pair David Warner and Usman Khawaja will open together in the upcoming Test series against Pakistan, but succession planning has begun to ensure future Australia openers are schooled in subcontinent conditions.

In addition to the 35-year-old left-handers who began their cricket careers as junior team clubmates in Sydney's eastern suburbs, the 18-man touring party named today includes Marcus Harris who lost his place to Khawaja during the recent Vodafone Ashes triumph over England."

CA,

[Donny]

Australia Test squad: Pat Cummins (c), Ashton Agar, Scott Boland, Alex Carey, Cameron Green, 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, David Warner

[Donny]

Out of the tour: Michael Neser. Injured.

In: Mark Steketee.

Brendan Doggett named as cover.

[Donny]

Maxy out of the Limited Overs matches.

"Glenn Maxwell will miss the Pakistan tour to get married but still has hopes of snaring a spot in Australia's Test squad for tours of Sri Lanka and India in the next 12 months."

CA.

[Donny]

"Australia's white-ball depth will be tested next month with David Warner, Pat Cummins, Josh Hazlewood, Mitch Starc and Glenn Maxwell to all miss the limited-overs leg of their upcoming tour of Pakistan.

However, Cricket Australia will not be releasing its contracted stars to join the early stages of the Indian Premier League, with that tournament expected to overlap with the three ODIs and one-off T20, to be played in Rawalpindi from March 29.

Australia's ODI and T20 squad: Aaron Finch (c), Sean Abbott, Ashton Agar, Jason Behrendorff, Alex Carey, Nathan Ellis, Cameron Green, Travis Head, Josh Inglis, Marnus Labuschagne, Mitchell Marsh, Ben McDermott, Kane Richardson, Steve Smith, Marcus Stoinis, Adam Zampa."

CA.

[Donny]

Read more: https://www.cricket.com.au/news/australia-odi-t20-squad-pakistan-tour-warner-cummins-starc-hazlewood-left-out/2022-02-22

[Donny]

On (Covid) standby, for the Tests: Sean Abbott, Brendan Doggett, Nic Maddinson, Matthew Renshaw.

[Donny]

Not sure how the Pakistan fans will feel about so many Oz front-line Limited Overs players (Warner, Cummins, Hazlewood, Starc and Maxwell) opting out of the 3 ODIs and the T20.

I'd say, not happy.

[Donny]

"Australia will be confronted by some unfamiliar faces for the opening Test in Rawalpindi next week, with just two members of Pakistan's XI from their most recent win against Australia set to play in the three-match series.

Established names like skipper Babar Azam, veteran Azhar Ali, wicketkeeper-batter Mohammad Rizwan and pace sensation Shaheen Shah Afridi will lead the home side in the three-Test series, but bowling stars Mohammad Abbas and Yasir Shah as well as batting stalwart Asad Shafiq have been on the outer for Pakistan's recent Test resurgence and have not been named in their 15-man squad.

In their place have been fast man Hasan Ali, resurgent left-hander Fawad Alam, allrounder Faheem Ashraf and new spinners Nauman Ali and Sajid Khan, who all played key roles in Pakistan winning seven of their nine Test matches in 2021."

CA.

[Donny]

"Pakistan-born former Australian leg-spinner Fawad Ahmed will act as a much-needed spin consultant for his adopted nation's first visit to his birth country in 24 years after accepting a last-minute approach to join the touring party.

Fawad, who is already in Pakistan with the Lahore Qalandars as a replacement player for Afghanistan superstar Rashid Khan, will link up with the Australian squad after the PSL final, which his side won overnight, beating Multan Sultans by 42 runs."

CA