Australia in talks with Pakistan over venue selection due to security, health reasons: report

• Australia will be touring Pakistan for first time in 24 years in March.
• Australia wants all Test matches at one venue.
• Jhye Richardson will be ruled out of Pakistan tour.

Cricket Australia and the Pakistan Cricket Board (PCB) are in talks over the venues for Test matches during the Aussies tour to the country in March, The Sunday Morning Herald reported.

The long-format matches are scheduled to take place under the lights of the stadiums in Karachi, Rawalpindi and Lahore, however, "negotiations are continuing with the [PCB] about the possibility of playing all three Tests in one venue for health and security reasons", the publication reported.

This will be the first time that an Australian side will be visiting Pakistan to play a cricket series after 24 years, with Islamabad looking eagerly to revive international cricket and host foreign teams.

The first Test match between the two sides will be played from March 3 in Karachi, while the second Test will be played from March 12-16 in Rawalpindi.

'Big complex endeavour': Cricket Australia chief talks about Pakistan tour

The teams will then play a third Test match from March 21-25 in Lahore.

Some Aussies are still uneasy about touring Pakistan, but according to the publication, they were encouraged after receiving reports of the West Indies successful tour to the country.

"The tour will be made as short as feasibly possible given the bowlers will need to get their workloads up for the Test series, which begins on March 3," the publication reported.

Meanwhile, Jhye Richardson has been ruled out of the Pakistan tour, and a preliminary squad will be announced in the coming days, it added.

Holding matches at same venue not on table: PCB

Meanwhile, PCB has said that the suggestion to hold Pakistan-Australia matches in the upcoming Australia's visit to Pakistan is not on the table.

In a brief statement issued today, PCB said that the matches in Pakistan vs Australia series will be played in Karachi, Rawalpindi and Lahore because organising all the matches at a single venue is not possible.

The board assured that it is making arrangements for providing a safe and secure environment to the visiting squad. 

Moreover, the National Command and Operation Centre (NCOC) would also have reached a decision regarding the crowd for the matches by the time the series kicks off.

Australia announce squad for Sri Lanka tour

After a barnstorming domestic T20 campaign, Ben McDermott enters Australia's T20I squad, as they prepare for a home World Cup defence.

Hosting Sri Lanka for five T20Is from February 11 in Sydney, Canberra and Melbourne, McDermott could well play a key role in the five matches, with fellow opener David Warner sitting out the series to prepare for Australia's upcoming tour of Pakistan.

Read more: Australia captain admits some players may not be 'comfortable' touring Pakistan next year

McDermott leads the Big Bash League run list with 577 runs at a strike rate of 153.86, including five scores of over fifty. His two centuries in the tournament also came in back-to-back innings — the first player to achieve the feat in the tournament's eleven-season history.

Richardson, Travis Head and Moises Henriques re-enter the squad after missing out on World Cup selection, and Josh Hazlewood, who missed much of the men's Ashes series through a side strain, has also been selected.

Australia T20 squad: 

Aaron Finch (c), Ashton Agar, Pat Cummins, Josh Hazlewood, Travis Head, Moises Henriques, Josh Inglis, Ben McDermott, Glenn Maxwell, Jhye Richardson, Kane Richardson, Steve Smith, Mitchell Starc, Marcus Stoinis, Matthew Wade, Adam Zampa