Australia Land in Pakistan for T20I Series Before World Cup

The Australian cricket squad, led by Mitchell Marsh, arrived in Lahore on Wednesday to play a three-match T20I series against Pakistan, marking the team’s first tour to the country since mid-2022. The series is viewed as Pakistan’s final preparation ahead of the T20 World Cup, though the national team’s participation in the tournament remains uncertain pending government approval.

The Pakistan Cricket Board (PCB) is in discussions with the Prime Minister, with PCB Chairman Mohsin Naqvi confirming that a decision on whether Pakistan will compete in the February 7–March 8 T20 World Cup will be announced by Friday or next Monday. The uncertainty follows Pakistan’s protests over the ICC replacing Bangladesh with Scotland, after security concerns led Bangladesh to pull out of the tournament in India.

Pakistan named a squad for the World Cup almost identical to the team facing Australia, with pacer Muhammad Wasim Jr dropped from the global tournament squad but included in the home series. The series is seen as a critical opportunity for players to fine-tune combinations and strategies ahead of the marquee event.

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Australia, meanwhile, has rested several senior players, including Pat Cummins, Josh Hazlewood, Glenn Maxwell, Tim David, and Nathan Ellis, to allow full recovery before the World Cup. Despite these absences, the visiting side remains strong, featuring Travis Head, Cameron Green, Josh Inglis, and Adam Zampa among key performers.

The Australian squad for the series includes Mitch Marsh (c), Sean Abbott, Xavier Bartlett, Mahli Beardman, Cooper Connolly, Ben Dwarshuis, Jack Edwards, Cameron Green, Travis Head, Josh Inglis (wk), Matthew Kuhnemann, Mitch Owen, Josh Philippe (wk), Matthew Renshaw, Matt Short, Marcus Stonis, and Adam Zampa. Fans anticipate high-quality cricket with both teams using the matches to sharpen skills before the T20 World Cup.

This series not only tests Pakistan’s readiness on home soil but also adds pressure on the government and PCB to finalize their stance on World Cup participation, keeping cricket fans on edge in the run-up to the global tournament.

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