Australian security expert delegation visits Pakistan to assess the security arrangements
Cricket Australia’s four-member delegation including the security experts have arrived in Pakistan to check the security measurements arranged by Pakistan for the upcoming tour of Australia in March 2022.
Cricket Australia’s four-member delegation including the security experts have arrived in Lahore, Pakistan to check the security measurements arranged by Pakistan for the upcoming tour of Australia in March 2022.
The Cricket Australia members will also watch the initial two T20I games between Pakistan and West Indies at Karachi National Stadium to get an idea of how things are proceeding in Pakistan.
Australia is scheduled to tour Pakistan in March 2022 for a full-fledged tour including three Test matches, three ODI’s, and a single T20I.
Sources have revealed that after visiting the Gaddafi Stadium, the security delegation has moved to Karachi to check the security parameters there.
The delegation comprises of three security experts including the well-known security consultant Reg Dickason. It must be noted that this is Australia’s first tour of Pakistan in 24 years.
The security experts are scheduled to visit Lahore, Rawalpindi, and Karachi and will assess the security arrangements at the hotels, stadiums, and along the routes.
Australia’s first tour in 24 years will be dependent on the security approval from the delegation that is currently observing the protocols.
Sources from PCB also revealed that members of the interior ministry will also guide the security delegation about the security measurements during the visit.
The members of Cricket Australia will also stay in Karachi to watch the first two T20I matches between Pakistan and West Indies.
‘Some Australians are not comfortable touring Pakistan’
On November 9, the former Australian skipper Tim Paine had expressed that there will be certain players in the team who will not be “comfortable” touring Pakistan next year.
In an interview with Australian radio station SEN, Tim Paine had admitted the fact that some players may not be 100% with the decision of touring Pakistan in March next year.
“There’ll be some guys who will be happy to take the experts’ advice and others will want to know a bit more,”
Paine had said.
“If we’re totally honest, there might be some people who aren’t comfortable going regardless.
Paine had admitted that there will be “issues that will, I’m sure, pop up.”
He said that the issue is yet to discuss with the team and hopefully they will get the right answers.
“Hopefully, we will get the best team we can,”
he had said, adding that the decision to either go or not go to Pakistan rests with an individual, instead of the team.