Some Australian players might not be comfortable touring Pakistan, feels Tim Paine

11/09/2021

Australia Test captain Tim Paine stated that few players might not be comfortable touring Pakistan for the three Tests and as many ODI games and a T20I match during March and April 2022. Pakistan Cricket Board, on Monday, announced that Australia will tour Pakistan for a bilateral series since 1998.

Pakistan Cricket Board, on Monday, announced that Australia will tour the nation in March-April 2022 for three Tests, three ODIs, and one T20I. The three-Tests will be played in Karachi, Rawalpindi, and Lahore respectively. Three ODIs and the lone T20I will be played in Lahore. Australia last toured Pakistan in 1998, and the current head coach, Justin Langer was part of the national team which toured the subcontinent nation. Mark Taylor played a marathon innings of 334 not out in the second game of the two match-Test series and helped his side win the series by 1-0.

Meanwhile, Paine stated that there might few players in the Australia squad who are not comfortable touring Pakistan.

"There'll be some guys who will be happy to take the experts' advice and others will want to know a bit more. If we're totally honest, there might be some people who aren't comfortable going regardless," Paine said in his conversation SEN Radio.

"That's happened before with tours going to other countries going back forever. Again there are issues that will I'm sure pop up. We'll discuss it, people get the right answers and feel comfortable, then we'll get hopefully the best team we can. At the end of the day, it comes down to the individual," he added.

Tim Paine and current national selection chairperson George Bailey featured in the World XI which toured Pakistan in 2017. The 36-year-old recalled his memories about the tour, and the kind of security arranged for the World XI matches.

"The security that we had on that tour was unlike anything that I've ever seen in my life. We had helicopters overhead, roads shut down five kilometres around us, checkpoints like every kilometre into the ground, it was extraordinary," said the 36-year-old.

"The fact you're seeing it and thinking to yourself it may be necessary can be a bit unnerving, but at the same time to see the planning and execution of it, with literally a couple of choppers above your bus 20-30 metres above your head was comforting but also unnerving at the same time."

Schedule for Australia's tour of Pakistan.

March 3-7: First Test, Karachi

March 12-16: Second Test, Rawalpindi

March 21-25: Third Test, Lahore

March 29: First ODI, Lahore

March 31: Second ODI, Lahore

April 2: Third ODI, Lahore

April 5: Only T20, Lahore