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Shan Masood-led Pakistan will play a two-practice game against Victoria XI ahead of the second Test in Melbourne. The practice game will take place at the Junction Oval on December 22 and 23 in Melbourne’s Junction Oval.
The practice game was not part of Pakistan's original schedule. However, during the Perth Test, Pakistan requested Cricket Australia (CA) for a practice game citing lack of match practice.
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The two-day match will not have a first-class status which means that Pakistan will not have to bench any of their players in the squad.
"That [the Victoria tour game] was something extra we added into the schedule because it wasn't there earlier," Pakistan's Director of Cricket Mohammad Hafeez said after the Test.
"We wanted to have more practice rather than only one practice game. That had first-class status, so we couldn't give all the bowlers the chance to have a feel. That's the reason we wanted to have this practice game, so more guys could get a feel of a match scenario; we felt that would work well. We will definitely plan accordingly. All the players should use those two days to make themselves more familiar with the situations and the conditions."
The Victoria XI side will be led by Peter Handscomb. It also includes Marcus Harris and Will Pucovski who are contenders to replace David Warner after he retires from Test cricket on the completion of the ongoing series against Pakistan.
Hafeez who had critcised the pitch at Manuka Oval, Canberra by calling it “the slowest pitch a visiting team could ever play on in Australia” is optimistic of getting a better track for the two-day practice match.
"The conditions we get fall under Cricket Australia's domain," he said. "We have requested similar conditions to the Test match so that our players can take advantage of these conditions. This game was not part of the tour but I wanted our players to have match-scenario style practice. We're grateful to CA for accepting our request and providing this facility. We will try to learn from this in the most effective possible way."
The second Test will start on December 26 at Melbourne Cricket Ground. Pakistan will be looking to end their long-running win-drought in Test cricket on Australian soil.
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