PAK vs AUS: The Pakistan Cricket Board has relocated three One-Day Internationals and one Twenty20 International against Australia from Rawalpindi to Lahore. The match dates remain the same, with three One-Day Internationals (ODIs) set to be held on March 29, 31, and April 2, and a one-off T20I on April 5.
Earlier, reports had emerged that tense political situations were brewing up, which had caused PCB to reconsider the venue for the Pakistan and Australia white-ball series.
“Pakistan and Australia cricket boards have mutually agreed to shift white-ball matches from Rawalpindi to Lahore on the dates as announced previously. The decision was made on Saturday morning following discussions between the two boards,” the PCB said in a release. “Australia’s white-ball players, as originally planned, will arrive in Lahore on March 24 and after one-day room isolation, will integrate with other members of their side. Pakistan’s white-ball players are scheduled to assemble on March 22 and will resume training on March 25.”
The One-Day Internationals are part of the ICC Men’s Cricket World Cup Super League. The top seven teams from this tournament, as well as the hosts of the ICC Men’s Cricket World Cup 2023, will qualify straight for the elite 50-over competition, which will be held the following year in October/November. Australia is now eighth and Pakistan is ninth in the 13-team event, but there is still a lot of 50-over cricket to be played.
Meanwhile, Australia’s pace trio of Pat Cummins, Josh Hazlewood, and Mitchell Starc, along with David Warner and Glenn Maxwell, has been rested for the white-ball leg. Apart from Starc, the Test players will return to India shortly after the series concludes and will be ready for the Indian Premier League (IPL) 2022 beginning April 6.
This is due to Cricket Australia’s policy prohibiting contracted players from competing in other events when the national team is in action. Mitchell Marsh, Marcus Stoinis, Jason Behrendorff, Sean Abbott, and Nathan Ellis are among the other IPL-bound players in Australia’s limited-overs team. Due to travel and quarantine procedures, they will be absent for at least another week.
PAK vs AUS white-ball squads
Pakistan (ODI) – Babar Azam (captain), Shadab Khan (vice-captain), Abdullah Shafique, Asif Afridi, Asif Ali, Fakhar Zaman, Haider Ali, Haris Rauf, Hasan Ali, Iftikhar Ahmed, Imam-Ul-Haq, Khushdil Shah, Mohammad Haris, Mohammad Nawaz, Mohammad Rizwan (wicketkeeper), Mohammad Wasim Jnr, Saud Shakeel, Shaheen Shah Afridi, Shahnawaz Dahani and Usman Qadir
Pakistan (T20I) – Babar Azam (captain), Shadab Khan (vice-captain), Asif Afridi, Asif Ali, Fakhar Zaman, Haider Ali, Haris Rauf, Hasan Ali, Iftikhar Ahmed, Khushdil Shah, Mohammad Haris, Mohammad Nawaz, Mohammad Rizwan (wicketkeeper), Mohammad Wasim Jnr, Shaheen Shah Afridi, Shahnawaz Dahani and Usman Qadir
Australia (ODI & T20I) – Aaron Finch (captain), 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 and Adam Zampa
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