PCB wants Australia to return to Pakistan

The new chairman of the Pakistan Cricket Board, Ehsan Mani, has urged Australia to consider a return to the country for the first time in two decades.

An armed attack on the Sri Lanka cricket team's bus in 2009 in Lahore saw Pakistan effectively suspended from hosting international matches, but a handful of teams have returned to play limited-overs series in recent years.

Australia are slated to play five one-day internationals against Pakistan in March with no venues currently locked in to host the series, but Cricket Australia are understood to be cautious about a return to the Asian nation. 

The national side hasn't toured Pakistan since 1998, though Test captain Tim Paine did go there as part of a 'World XI' three-match T20 tour last year.

Mani said he'd had discussions with incoming CA chief executive Kevin Roberts, who has been in Abu Dhabi with the Test side, but no formal request has been made to play next year's ODI series in Pakistan.

"Obviously they rely on the (Australian) High Commission’s advice, but a lot of it is a matter of perception," said Mani. "I am yet to meet people who once they've been to Pakistan have any concerns about going there.

"On the sidelines, we've certainly raised this with them, that they should consider this. Obviously Cricket Australia's got a new CEO, he's got to go back and do his due diligence. 

"It will certainly happen sooner or later. It's a matter of comfort levels. We are getting PSL matches played in Pakistan, foreign players are coming for that. We've had a couple of other teams come and play, but I really want Australia, New Zealand, England to come.”

The ongoing series in the UAE is the third consecutive Test tour the two sides have played at a neutral venue.

Roberts has been in Abu Dhabi for the second Test and Mani explained they'd had initial discussions about playing in Pakistan.

"We touched on it, but he's not the CEO for another week or so, so it would be unfair to throw this at him," Mani continued. "But he's been around Cricket Australia in various guises for a long time.

"I'm sure he understands the issues. We have a very constructive conversation generally, so I'm sure we can work with him and (chairman) David Peever."

While no Test cricket has been played in Pakistan since the Lahore attack, West Indies, Sri Lanka and Zimbabwe have all travelled there for limited-overs series, while several foreign stars went to Lahore for the final of the Pakistan Super League T20 tournament last year.

The World XI side that played in Lahore that Paine was part of also featured fellow Australians George Bailey and Ben Cutting.

Qantas Tour of the UAE

Australia Test squad: Tim Paine (c), Ashton Agar, Brendan Doggett, Aaron Finch, Travis Head, Jon Holland, Usman Khawaja, Marnus Labuschagne, Nathan Lyon, Mitch Marsh, Shaun Marsh, Michael Neser, Matthew Renshaw, Peter Siddle, Mitchell Starc

Pakistan Test squad: Sarfraz Ahmed (c), Azhar Ali, Fakhar Zaman, Imam-ul-Haq, Babar Azam, Asad Shafiq, Haris Sohail, Usman Salahuddin, Yasir Shah, Shadab Khan, Bilal Asif, Mohammad Abbas, Hasan Ali, Wahab Riaz, Faheem Ashraf, Mir Hamza, Mohammad Rizwan, Mohammad Hafeez

Oct 7-11: First Test, drawn

Oct 16-20: Second Test, Abu Dhabi