Tag: Pakistan vs Australia

LAHORE: Left-handed opener Shan Masood has returned in Pakistan’s 16-men Test squad for series against Australia. 

Under the captaincy of Babar Azam, squad contains Mohammad Rizwan (vice-captain) (Khyber Pakhtunkhwa), Abdullah Shafique (Central Punjab), Azhar Ali (Central Punjab), Faheem Ashraf (Central Punjab), Fawad Alam (Sindh), Haris Rauf (Northern), Hasan Ali (Central Punjab), Imam-ul-Haq (Balochistan), Mohammad Nawaz (Northern), Nauman Ali (Northern), Sajid Khan (Khyber Pakhtunkhwa), Saud Shakeel (Sindh), Shaheen Shah Afridi (Khyber Pakhtunkhwa), Shan Masood (Balochistan), Zahid Mahmood (Sindh).

Reserves

Kamran Ghulam (Khyber Pakhtunkhwa), Mohammad Abbas (Southern Punjab), Naseem Shah (Southern Punjab), Sarfaraz Ahmed (Sindh), Yasir Shah (Balochistan)

Pacer Haris Rauf has also been returned to the Squad whereas Yasir Shah made it into the reserved pool.

Pakistan and Australia will play three Tests in Rawalpindi, Karachi and Lahore, starting from March 4. The Aussies are coming to Pakistan after 24 years. They will also play three ODIs and one-off T20I against Pakistan at their home soil after a long time.

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MELBOURNE: Cricket Australia (CA) has announced a full-strength Test squad for the upcoming historic tour to Pakistan, scheduled next month.

Australia’s Chief Selector of the National men’s team – George Bailey while announcing the squad, claimed the players are selected by keeping the playing conditions in mind.

Australia’s pacer – Pat Cummins will be leading the side on the historic tour. Whereas, Australia’s Ashes hero – Usman Khawaja also included in the contingent for the Test series.

Taking to Twitter, CA also shared the Test-bound squad for the historic tour.

Our 18-player Test squad for the Qantas tour of Pakistan! 🔒

The Test playing contingent and staff are due to depart for Pakistan later this month while white ball players, to be announced separately, will join mid-tour for the ODI and T20I matches. pic.twitter.com/7RM0HwKygq

— Cricket Australia (@CricketAus) February 7, 2022

It is worth mentioning here that Australia will play the Test series against Pakistan from March 4 to March 25 in Rawalpindi, Karachi, and Lahore. However, the Australian squad for the white-ball series will be announced later.

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LAHORE: Cricket Australia (CA) and Pakistan Cricket Board (PCB) have revised the schedule of Australia’s first tour of Pakistan after 24 years. 

Instead of Karachi, Australia will now start their tour of Pakistan by playing the first Test of three-match series in Rawalpindi. This Test will be played from March 4-8. Karachi will host the second Test from March 12-16 whereas the third Test will be played in Lahore from March 21-25.

The Aussies will return to Pakistan on March 27 via a chartered flight to play the white-ball series in Rawalpindi. Three ODIs between Pakistan and Australia will be played on March 29, 31 and April 2. One-off T20I is scheduled for April 5.

Test series will be part of ICC Test championship while the ODI series will be played under the banner ICC Men’s Cricket World Cup Super League.

On this occasion, Nick Hockley, CEO of Cricket Australia (CA) stated that Australia’s tour to Pakistan will be a historical event for cricket.

“Australia’s tour to Pakistan will be historic. I think the tour will promote cricket at the biggest of levels,” he said.

Hockley also claimed to send a strong team for the tour and is excited for the competitive cricket between two world-class sides.

READ: ‘Australia should tour Pakistan to prove it’s a part of cricket family’ Lawson

LAHORE: Pakistan Test bowler – Mohammad Abbas is aiming to complete his Test wickets ton, while is also hopeful of making a comeback into the side for the home series against Australia in March this year.

When asked about the next home series against Australia, Abbas stated that he hopes to return to the team and complete his 100th wicket in Test cricket, as well as lead Pakistan to victory.

“I am hopeful of playing the home series against Australia. The target is to complete 100 wickets in Test cricket,” he said.

“Want to give such performances which will make the team win. Excited about a big team like Australia is finally touring Pakistan,” he said.

Abbas also shared that he has been training since the previous month to prepare for the home series against the Kangaroos.

Furthermore, Abbas is also hopeful that a full-strength Australian team will tour the country.

“Hopefully the Australian full strength team will tour and play competitive cricket,” he said.

“There are good messages coming in from the Australian board, players and the media, which is a good sign for the tour,” he added.

He further stated that all Test-playing nations are tough teams to beat, while keen to utilize the home conditions against Australia.

“All the Test-playing teams are strong, we have to prepare accordingly. We’ll benefit from our home conditions in the series against Australia,’ he said.

“Hopefully the Australian full-strength team will tour and have a competitive cricket,” he said.

Abbas went on to say that the green shirts have sacrificed ten years not playing in home conditions, while claimed that the team has performed exceptionally well in the away conditions as well.

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LAHORE: Test cricketer Azhar Ali is not only ready to host Australia but giving them tough time in three-match Test series, scheduled at his home soil in March. 

The Test series sees historic return of the Australian team to the cricket-starved country after 24 years. The Aussies will play three Tests, as many ODIs and a T20I against Pakistan in Karachi, Lahore and Rawalpindi in March-April this year.

“Its a historic moment for all of us being an enthusiast cricket nation,” Azhar said while talking to the reporters here on Saturday.

“We are not only ready to be good hosts but also tough opponents. This series is going to be interesting for our fans who haven’t seen Australia playing here for so many years,” he added.

Azhar, on the other hand, is focused on the preparations for the Test series which is a part of ICC Test Championship. “The series is important for both the teams as it is part of ICC Test championship,” he said.

“We will try to be prepared strongly for the series. Australia will also try to come with full strength as it is part of ICC Test championship,” the Test opener concluded.

READ: Australia thump Pakistan to qualify for U19 World Cup’s semi-final

NORTH SOUND: Australian bowlers wreaked havoc on Pakistan batting line-up; bowling out the latter on 157 as the kangaroos thumped the green shirts by 119 runs in the Under 19 World Cup quarterfinal.

Set to chase 277, Pakistan’s batting line-up failed completely and could only manage to score 157. Abdul Faseeh and Irfan Khan fought hard but could not pull the side out of the trouble. Irfan scored 27, while Faseeh scored 28. Whereas, the rest of the batters could not contribute significantly.

Mehran Mumtaz, on the other hand, looked to turn things around; scoring a quick 29 off 19 balls but, he too, fell short. He smashed three boundaries and two sixes.

For Australia, William Salzmann claimed three wickets, while Tom Whitney and Jack Sinfield picked two wickets each. Jack Nisbet and Aidan Cahil struck out a batter each.

Sent into bat first, Australian openers Campbell Kellaway and Wyllie scored 86 runs to provide a solid start to their team. Kellaway made 47 runs laced with four sixes and a boundary.

Wyllie (71) and Miller (64) stood dominantly, later on, to put a solid foundation for Australia to post a good total. Wyllie smashed eight boundaries whereas Miller struck five boundaries and a six.

Skipper Cooper Connolly contributed 33 runs off 25 balls including four boundaries to further strengthen his team’s score. William Salzmann also scored 25 including a boundary and two sixes.

Pakistani skipper Qasim Akram bagged three wickets, Awais Ali took two while Zeeshan Zameer and Mehran Mumtaz shared a wicket apiece.

TOSS

Pakistan won the toss and decided to bowl first against Australia

SQUADS

Australia Under-19s XIs: C Kellaway, T Wyllie, A Cahill, C Miller, C Connolly*, L Shaw, W Salzmann, T Snell†, J Sinfield, T Whitney, J Nisbet

Pakistan Under-19s XIs: Muhammad Shehzad, Haseebullah Khan†, Abdul Faseeh, Irfan Khan, Qasim Akram*, Abbas Ali, Maaz Sadaqat, Ahmed Khan (1), Mehran Mumtaz, Mohammad Zeeshan, Awais Ali

KARACHI: Pakistan’s frontline pacer Shaheen Shah Afridi shared his feelings after conceding three sixes from Matthew Wade which cost Pakistan T20 World Cup 2021’s semi-final. 

Speaking in ARY News’ show Bouncer, Afridi disclosed that the night after defeat against Australia was too painful for him and it can’t be explained in words.

“It was too painful that I can’t explain it in words,” Afridi shared. “Did you cry that night,” the host asked. “Yes, I cried. It was painful for me to make comeback after that match. But, here I want to thank our senior players, Hafeez and Shoaib Bhai who motivated not only me but the whole team. Their support and motivation let me move on quickly,” he added.

Victory against arch-rivals India in T20 WC 2021

Afridi said victory against India was historic for them. “It was a memorable moment for our entire team. We played like a unit and that gave us victory,” he said.

“Wickets of Rohit Sharma and KL Rahul were special for me. But, if you will ask me to pick one, it will be of Rahul,” the young bowler shared.

KARACHI: Pakistan Cricket Board (PCB)’s chairman Ramiz Raja is likely to propose a Quadrilateral series involving India, Pakistan, England, and Australia. 

According to Code Sports Australia, the PCB chairman has planned to pitch the idea of a Quadrilateral series that will play an important role in the revival of cricket between the two arch-rivals, India and Pakistan. Reportedly, the idea will be pitched in the next ICC meeting.

It must be noted here that Pakistan and India haven’t played a bilateral series since 2012-13. They only faced each other in ICC events and Asia Cup during this time period.

However, Australia and England are due to visit Pakistan this year. Australia will tour the country after 1998 to play three Tests and as many ODIs against the home team. England will visit Pakistan in November-December this year to play five T20Is.

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KARACHI: Australia has confirmed its tour to Pakistan after 1998 and the hype for this historic visit has already been built up everywhere. 

The Aussies will come to Pakistan in March-April this year to play three Tests and as many ODIs in three centers – Karachi, Lahore and Rawalpindi.

On Thursday during Day 2 of fourth Test in The Ashes, the Australian commentators discussed Pakistan tour while Usman Khawaja was batting at the crease.

“This year Australia will be touring Pakistan and the tour will be most important for Pakistan-born Khawaja who will be playing first Test in his birth country,” they said.

“Australia’s tour of Pakistan is going to be greatest of all time as their whole generation missed watching competitive cricket at their home. Australia tour will be a boost for their fans and young players of course,” a commentator shared.

READ: ‘Australia committed to tour Pakistan’ CEO Cricket Australia

ISLAMABAD: Interior Minister – Sheikh Rasheed assured foolproof security to Australian team during their tour to Pakistan in March-April next year. 

The minister met four-member Cricket Australia (CA)’s delegation here on Friday. Pakistan Cricket Board (PCB)’s Director International Cricket, Zakir Khan was also present in the meeting.

During the meeting, Rasheed thanked CA for confirming their tour to Pakistan. “Pakistan is a cricket loving nation and wished to see big teams like Australia playing here. I am thankful to Australia for confirming their tour and looking forward to see exciting contests,” he told the delegation.

“I assure you foolproof security during the tour. We are in touch with our provincial security institutions who are keen to provide tight security. We have prepared ourselves for this tour,” he continued.

The Interior Minister also ensured heroic welcome of the Australian team in the country. Remember, Australia is coming to Pakistan after 1998. They will play two Tests, three ODIs and a T20I against the home team. The matches will be played in Karachi, Rawalpindi and Lahore.

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