Pak-Australia series schedule likely to be changed: sources

LAHORE: The schedule of a highly anticipated series between Pakistan and Australia is likely to be changed as Cricket Australia has suggested kicking off the games from Rawalpindi instead of Karachi, sources privy to the matter said.

Meanwhile, as per the schedule unveiled by the Pakistan Cricket Board (PCB), the first Test match is to be played between the two sides from March 3 in Karachi while the second Test is to be played from March 12-16 in Rawalpindi.

In all, Pat Cummins' Australian side is scheduled to take on the Men in Green for three Test matches, an equal number of ODIs and one T20 match.

This will be Australia's first visit to Pakistan in 24 years.

“Talks are underway between the officials of PCB and Cricket Australia to finalize the schedule,” sources said on Wednesday.

As per the schedule, the teams will play a third Test match on March 21-25 in Lahore.

The Tests will be played as part of the ICC World Test Championship, while the ODIs will be connected to the ICC Men’s Cricket World Cup Super League – a 13-team event from which the seven highest-placed sides and the hosts, India, will qualify directly for the event proper in 2023.

All four white-ball matches of the series will take place in Lahore from March 29 to April 5, the PCB had said.

The last time an Australian squad played a series in Pakistan was in 1998 when Mark Taylor led them to a 1-0 series victory – their first since Richie Benaud’s side defeated Fazal Mahmood’s team by 2-0 in the 1959-60 series.

Between the two series, Pakistan hosted Australia in 1964-65 (drew 0-0), 1979-80 (won 1-0), 1982-83 (won 3-0), 1988-89 (won 1-0) and 1994-95 (won 1-0).

Pakistan staged the last four series with Australia offshore – 2002-2003 (Colombo and Sharjah, Pakistan lost 3-0), 2010 (drew 1-1 in England), 2014-15 (won 2-0 in the UAE) and 2018-19 (won 1-0 in the UAE).