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The Pakistan cricket team has arrived in Australia for a three-match Test series which is slated to commence from December 14 in Perth. The Test series is part of the WTC 2023-25 campaign. In an unwelcoming experience, upon their arrival in Australia, the Pakistan team members were not greeted by any representatives from the Pakistan embassy in Australia or by any Cricket Australia officials. This led to criticism and raised questions about the level of hospitality extended to the visiting team.
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Despite the lack of official reception, the Pakistan players were warmly welcomed by their fans who were present at the airport. But, in a surprising turn of events, senior players like Mohammad Rizwan were seen loading their luggage onto a truck by themselves at the Sydney airport. He later took pictures with the fans, showcasing his gratitude for their support.
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Following an over 24-hour flight, the Pakistan cricket squad will dedicate Saturday to rest before commencing their training sessions on December 3. Under the leadership of newly appointed captain Shan Masood, who took over the reins following Babar Azam's decision to step down from captaincy across all formats, Pakistan will look to end their long-standing drought of Test match victories on Australian soil, their last win dating back to 1995.
Meanwhile, Australia are yet to announce their Test squad, with several key players, including Usman Khawaja, Marnus Labuschagne, and Cameron Green, currently participating in Sheffield Shield matches to fine-tune their preparations for the Pakistan series.
Ahead of the team's departure for Australia, Pakistan Team Director Mohammad Hafeez addressed the media, emphasising that representing the country at the international level should be the paramount goal for players who have recently received contracts.
“Representing Pakistan and red-ball domestic cricket should be our priority and we may have to take some steps to make sure that this attitude is promoted and prioritised as such. We want to bring back our players to longer formats as that is where we are lagging right now. The central contracts will remain as they are and they will continue for the complete cycle” Mohammad Hafeez said.
In the wake of the Men's Cricket World Cup, the Pakistan Cricket Board (PCB) has undertaken a significant restructuring of its management and captaincy roles. Shan Masood has been appointed as the new Test captain, while Shaheen Afridi will assume the reins as T20I captain following Babar Azam's decision to relinquish captaincy across all formats. Additionally, Wahab Riaz has been named as the PCB Chairman.
The three-match Test series between Pakistan and Australia will commence with the first Test at Perth's Optus Stadium from December 14-18. The second Test will be held at the Melbourne Cricket Ground (MCG) from December 26-30, followed by the final Test at the Sydney Cricket Ground (SCG) from January 3-7.
Pakistan Test Squad For Australia Tests
Shan Masood (captain), Aamir Jamal, Abdullah Shafique, Abrar Ahmed, Babar Azam, Faheem Ashraf, Hasan Ali, Imam-ul-Haq, Khurram Shahzad, Mir Hamza, Mohammad Rizwan (wk), Mohammad Wasim Jnr, Noman Ali, Saim Ayub, Salman Ali Agha, Sarfaraz Ahmed (wk), Saud Shakeel, Shaheen Shah Afridi.
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