Aussies watching PSL matches to understand Pakistan's game: Australia's interim coach

• “We have worked on foundational strategy, keeping Pakistan's training pitches and grass pitches in mind,” McDonald says.
• Interim coach says Aussie squad is balanced.
• Says Pakistan has some very good fast bowlers.

The Australian cricket team is watching matches of the seventh edition of the Pakistan Super League (PSL) ahead of their tour to Pakistan next month in order to understand the game of the Men in Green, Aussies interim coach Andrew McDonald revealed Wednesday.

Addressing a press conference, McDonald said that the Aussies have completed all their preparations before leaving for Pakistan.

“Our squad is balanced,” he said, adding that keeping in view the conditions of the pitches we have options.

The interim coach reiterated that it is a well-known fact the Australian team faces difficulties while playing in the sub-continent.

“We have worked on foundational strategy, keeping Pakistan's training pitches and grass pitches in mind,” he said.

Shedding light on the performance of the players, he told the media that bowling pressure on all-rounder +Cameron Green would increase in Pakistan.

Meanwhile, batters Usman Khawaja and David Warner will be among the top-order during the series.

Replying to questions regarding Pakistan team, the interim coach said one cannot predict about Pakistan team.

“It is difficult to say whether Pakistan's team playing on the home ground is different or the team playing in the UAE,” he said.

McDonalds was of the view that Pakistan has some very good fast bowlers and especially mentioned Shaheen Shah Afridi, stating that his performance is constantly improving.

The Aussies' coach said that the spectators will see a good competition because they also have some good bowlers.

Australia's 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

Pakistan's Test squad

• Babar Azam (captain)
• Mohammad Rizwan (vice-captain) 
• Abdullah Shafique
• Azhar Ali 
• Faheem Ashraf 
• Fawad Alam 
• Haris Rauf
• Hasan Ali 
• Imam-ul-Haq
• Mohammad Nawaz 
• Nauman Ali 
• Sajid Khan
• Saud Shakeel 
• Shaheen Shah Afridi 
• Shan Masood 
• Zahid Mahmood 

Reserves

• Kamran Ghulam
• Mohammad Abbas
• Naseem Shah
• Sarfaraz Ahmed
• Yasir Shah 

Australia to tour Pakistan for the first time in 24 years

The PCB had earlier announced the details of Australia's first tour of Pakistan since November 1998. The tour will take place in March and April 2022 and will include three Tests, three One-day internationals, and one Twenty20 international.

Karachi (March 3-7), Rawalpindi (March 12-16 ), and Lahore (March 21-25) will host the Tests, while Lahore will host the four white-ball matches from March 29 to April 5.

The Tests will be part of the ICC World Test Championship, while the ODIs will be part of the ICC Men's Cricket World Cup Super League, a 13-team competition from which the top seven teams and hosts India will qualify directly for the 2023 event.