Aussies touch down for historic Pakistan tour

Australia's men's cricket team have touched down in Pakistan, marking the start of their first Test tour in nearly three years.

Members of the 18-man squad picked for the Aussies' first trip to Pakistan in 24 years shared photos from their Qantas charter flight from Melbourne into Islamabad, the twin city to nearby Rawalpindi, the venue for the first Test.

Vice-captain Steve Smith, Islamabad-born Usman Khawaja and spinners Ashton Agar and Mitchell Swepson all shared their excitement for the three-Test campaign that begins on Friday.

Australia had been training in Melbourne in preparation for the long-awaited tour, observing pre-departure protocols to limit their exposure to COVID-19. 

The team, which was accompanied on its flight over by Cricket Australia chief executive Nick Hockley, will be confined to quarters for 24 hours after arrival, before intense training ahead of the first Test starting March 4.

They will be in a high-security bubble for the duration of their six-week stay.

Australia's strict border rules during the pandemic have meant the Test side have only played at home since their 2-2 Ashes series draw in England back in 2019, postponing planned tours of Bangladesh (in mid-2020) and South Africa (in early 2021).

The tour will be Pat Cummins' first overseas Tests since taking over as captain while it will also herald the beginning of the post-Justin Langer era following the coach's resignation earlier this month.

Andrew McDonald is leading the side on an interim basis for the Test series, which moves to Karachi and then Lahore for the second and third games, as well as for the three ODIs and solitary T20I in Rawalpindi.

Pakistan have struggled to attract visiting sides since a fatal terror attack on the visiting Sri Lanka team's bus in 2009. Australia pulled out of a tour five years earlier after a suicide blast at a Lahore church.

Image Id: 1B4E34ACD3034B079EC84F070A546934 Image Caption: Australia have been given 'head-of-state' level security for their Pakistan tour // AFP/Getty

They last played in Pakistan in 1998, winning the three-Test series 1-0 and sweeping the hosts in the three one-day internationals.

This time around nearly 4,000 police and military personnel will be guarding the team hotel in Islamabad and the cricket stadium in Rawalpindi.

"The squad will be given 'head of state-level security'," a spokesman for Pakistan's interior ministry told AFP.

"Such arrangements are only made for high-level foreign delegations, (and) the president and prime minister of Pakistan."

Roads will be blocked off when the Australians make the 15-kilometre commute, with their team bus to be shadowed by army helicopters.

Snipers will be positioned on buildings surrounding the stadium, while nearby shops and offices have been ordered to close on match days, the interior ministry said.

Similar arrangements will be in place for matches in Karachi and Lahore.

"We've got to a place where everyone hopping on the plane is comfortable with where it's all sitting," Cummins said ahead of the team's departure.

"It's been a really thorough body of work that the security and the logistics teams have worked through."

Having missed the final of the inaugural World Test Championship last year due to an over-rate infringement, Australia will be eager to solidify their position on the current standings.

Cummins' men sit second on the new WTC ladder with a winning percentage of 86.66, ahead of Pakistan (75 per cent) in third.

Australia's next Test opponents, Sri Lanka, are on top having won both their Tests in the new cycle so far.

- with AFP

Qantas Tour of Pakistan 2022

Pakistan squad: Babar Azam (c), Mohammad Rizwan (vc), Abdullah Shafique, Azhar Ali, Faheem Ashraf, Fawad Alam, Haris Rauf, Hasan Ali, Imam-ul-Haq, Nauman Ali, Sajid Khan, Saud Shakeel, Shaheen Shah Afridi, Shan Masood, Zahid Mahmood. Reserves: Naseem Shah, Sarfaraz Ahmed, Mohammad Haris

Australia Test squad: Pat Cummins (c), Ashton Agar, Scott Boland, Alex Carey, Cameron Green, Marcus Harris, Josh Hazlewood, Travis Head, Josh Inglis, Usman Khawaja, Marnus Labuschagne, Nathan Lyon, Mitchell Marsh, Steve Smith (vc), Mitchell Starc, Mark Steketee, Mitchell Swepson, David Warner. On standby: Sean Abbott, Brendan Doggett, Nic Maddinson, Matthew Renshaw

March 4-8: First Test, Rawalpindi

March 12-16: Second Test, Karachi

March 21-25: Third Test, Lahore

Australia ODI and T20 squad: Aaron Finch (c), Sean Abbott, Ashton Agar, Jason Behrendorff, Alex Carey, Nathan Ellis, Cameron Green, Travis Head, Josh Inglis, Marnus Labuschagne, Mitchell Marsh, Ben McDermott, Kane Richardson, Steve Smith, Marcus Stoinis, Adam Zampa

March 29: First ODI, Rawalpindi

March 31: Second ODI, Rawalpindi

April 2: Third ODI, Rawalpindi

April 5: Only T20I, Rawalpindi

All matches to be broadcast in Australia on Fox Cricket and Kayo Sports