Pakistan Cricket Board has moved the three One-Day Internationals and one Twenty20 International against Australia to Lahore from Rawalpindi. The dates for the tour remain the same with the three ODIs on March 29, 31 and April 2 and the one-off T20I on April 5.
“Pakistan and Australia cricket boards have mutually agreed to shift white-ball matches from Rawalpindi to Lahore on the dates as announced previously. The decision was made on Saturday morning following discussions between the two boards,” the PCB said in a release. “Australia’s white-ball players, as originally planned, will arrive in Lahore on March 24 and after one-day room isolation, will integrate with other members of their side. Pakistan’s white-ball players are scheduled to assemble on March 22 and will resume training on March 25.”
All three ODI matches will be part of the ICC Cricket World Cup Super League with Australia placed seventh currently while Pakistan are ninth. Meanwhile, Australia’s pace trio Pat Cummins, Josh Hazlewood and Mitchell Starc as well as David Warner and Glenn Maxwell have been rested for the white-ball leg. The players who are part of the Test, apart from Starc, will leave for India soon after the Test series and will be available for the Indian Premier League from April 6.
This owing to Cricket Australia’s policy of not allowing contracted players to feature in other tournaments while the national team is in action. Australia’s limited-overs squad other IPL bound players including Mitchell Marsh, Marcus Stoinis, Jason Behrendorff, Sean Abbott and Nathan Ellis. They will miss at least another week owing to travel and quarantine requirements.
