The PCB had hoped that Cricket Australia would grant permission for the national side to visit the country for the first time since 1998 later this year, with Lahore or Karachi potential host cities for a bilateral ODI series between the sides
Australia are not yet prepared to return to play cricket in Pakistan.
The PCB had hoped that Cricket Australia would grant permission for the national side to visit the country for the first time since 1998 later this year, with Lahore or Karachi potential host cities for a bilateral ODI series between the sides.
However, the games are currently scheduled to take place in the UAE and, while Cricket Australia has noted the steady increase of international cricket taking place in Pakistan, it is not ready to commit itself to a tour just yet.
“We want to see international cricket return to Pakistan – the country has a huge passion for it,” a spokesperson was quoted as saying by the Canberra Times.
Security concerns are still keeping Australia from touring Pakistan
“However, the safety of our players and support staff is our number one priority and we won’t compromise that. We’ll continue to take advice from a range of government agencies and our own security intelligence and act on this accordingly.
“At this stage, from an Australia team perspective, we are not contemplating moving our current bilateral-tour arrangements from taking on Pakistan in the UAE, when they host the next series but we do remain open to the idea of playing in the country again. We formally advised the PCB of this position in early January.”
West Indies, Zimbabwe and Sri Lanka - whose team bus was the subject of a gun attack in Lahore in 2009 - have all ventured back to Pakistan in recent years.
Several Australian internationals, including the current captain Tim Paine, were part of a World XI side which played in the country in 2017.
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