ISLAMABAD: The chief executive of Cricket Australia on Sunday cleared the uncertainty surrounding the bilateral series with Pakistan and said they were “very committed” to touring the South Asian nation in March next year.
Australia are due to play three Tests, three one-day internationals (ODIs) and one Twenty-20 International (T20I) in the month-long series starting March 3.
The three Test matches are scheduled to be played in Karachi, Lahore and Rawalpindi, while the three ODIs and one T20 will be played in Lahore.
“We’re working closely with the PCB, working with all the authorities to make sure that those plans are set. It’s a really big complex endeavour. We’re very committed to touring,” Cricket Australia chief Nick Hockley was quoted as saying by Fox Sports Australia.
“It’ll be the first time in many, many years, so at the moment we’re going through the post reports of that. But it’s absolutely our intention to tour as long as it’s safe to do so.”
Australia have not toured Pakistan since 1998 because of security concerns. A Cricket Australia team recently completed a trip to Pakistan to ensure the tour is safe, according to the report.
Hockley said it was their every intention to play in the South Asian country.
Pakistan Cricket Board (PCB) Chairman Ramiz Raja earlier this week expressed confidence that Australia, England and New Zealand would tour Pakistan next year.
“We have made the world realize about our presence at the International Cricket Council (ICC) meetings,” Raja said at a press conference on Wednesday.
The England and Wales Cricket Board (ECB) was due to send its men’s and women’s team in October, but withdrew because of “concerns” over its players’ mental health while traveling to Pakistan.
The ECB pulled out of the series just days after New Zealand Cricket said it was abandoning its series in Pakistan following a “security alert” by its government.
The news came as a shock to Pakistan, which has been struggling to revive international cricket that was suspended in the aftermath of a 2009 attack on the Sri Lankan team in Lahore.
Cricket Australia 'very committed' to tour Pakistan in March
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Cricket Australia 'very committed' to tour Pakistan in March
- Nick Hockley says they intend to tour Pakistan 'as long as it’s safe to do so'
- Australia are due to play three Tests, three ODIs and one T20 starting March 3
Saudi defense delegation visits Pakistan’s foreign office for diplomatic briefing
- Delegation briefed on Pakistan’s foreign policy priorities and bilateral ties with Saudi Arabia
- Visit reflects close defense cooperation, including a bilateral security pact signed last year
ISLAMABAD: A Saudi defense delegation visited Pakistan’s foreign ministry on Friday to learn about Islamabad’s diplomatic priorities and engagements as the two countries strengthen security collaboration and consult more closely on regional and international issues.
The visit comes amid sustained high-level engagement between Islamabad and Riyadh, with regular contacts spanning defense, diplomacy and economic cooperation.
A 15-member delegation from the King Abdullah Bin Abdulaziz Command and Staff College met officials at the Ministry of Foreign Affairs, said an official statement.
“The visit of the delegation to Pakistan is a manifestation of excellent defense and security relations between the two countries,” the foreign ministry said.
It added that officials briefed the delegation on Pakistan’s foreign policy issues and bilateral relations with Saudi Arabia, followed by an interactive session.
The head of the delegation thanked Pakistani authorities for facilitating the visit, the statement said.
Pakistan and Saudi Arabia maintain close defense and security cooperation, including training exchanges and joint exercises.
In September last year, the two countries signed a bilateral security agreement under which aggression against one would be treated as a threat to the other.
While Saudi diplomats are regular visitors to the Pakistani foreign ministry, such visits by defense delegations are rare, reflecting that the two sides seek to understand each other’s defense and diplomatic perspectives more closely.
