PCB announces revised schedule of Australia’s tour to Pakistan

• This will be Australia's first tour to Pakistan in 24 years.
• Tour will comprise three Tests, three ODIs, one T20I.
• Tour to start and end in Rawalpindi; Karachi, Lahore to also host Tests.

The Pakistan Cricket Board (PCB) and Cricket Australia (CA) on Friday announced a revised itinerary for the Australia men’s cricket team’s tour of Pakistan during the current calendar year.

The tour — which will be Australia's first in 24 years — is set to start and end in Rawalpindi with the opening Test to be played from March 4-8 and the four white-ball matches to be played from March 29 to April 5, a statement from the PCB said.

Australia last toured Pakistan in 1998 when Mark Taylor's team recorded a 1-0 win from the three-Test series.

The tour will comprise three Tests, three ODIs, and one T20I.

The change in the first Test venue means that the second Test will be played in Karachi from 12-16 March and the third in Lahore from 21-25 March.

"The schedule has been revised to ease logistical and operational challenges as well as to avoid Pakistan Day rehearsals, which usually commence in Islamabad in the second week of March," the statement said.

Isolation

The statement said the two cricket boards have also agreed that the Australia Test side will complete their isolation in Australia, before arriving in Islamabad on 27 February on a chartered flight. 

After a one-day room isolation, team Australia will hold training sessions at the Pindi Cricket Stadium, the statement read. 

Australia’s white-ball players are expected to arrive in Lahore on 24 March following isolation in their home country.

After a one-day isolation upon arrival, they will integrate with other members of the side and travel to Islamabad for the first ODI in Rawalpindi on 29 March, the statement said,

The Tests will be part of the ICC World Test Championship, while the ODIs are linked to the ICC Men’s Cricket World Cup Super League from which the top eight sides, including hosts India, will qualify directly for the 2023 50-over World Cup.

Revised schedule:

• Feb 27 – Arrival in Islamabad
• Mar 4-8 – 1st Test, Rawalpindi
• Mar 12-16 – 2nd Test, Karachi
• Mar 21-25 – 3rd Test, Lahore
• Mar 29 – 1st ODI, Rawalpindi
• Mar 31 – 2nd ODI, Rawalpindi
• April 2 – 3rd ODI, Rawalpindi
• Apr 5 – one-off T20I, Rawalpindi
• Apr 6 – Departure

What's the change?

As per the previous schedule, the tour was set to begin on March 3 in Karachi, but now it will kick start on March 4 from Rawalpindi. 

Karachi was originally scheduled to host the first Test, Rawalpindi second, and Lahore third. But now, Pindi will host the first Test, Karachi second, and Lahore third.

Similarly, the ODIs and T20I were scheduled to be played in Lahore, but now, they will take place in Pindi.