PCB unveils schedule for Australia's Test tour

By
Atique ur Rehman

May 14, 2023

Pakistani cricketers take runs while Australias former Test skipper Pat Cummins watches during a Test match. — AFP/File
Pakistani cricketers take runs while Australia's former Test skipper Pat Cummins watches during a Test match. — AFP/File

The Pakistan Cricket Board (PCB) on Sunday unveiled the schedule for the Test series, Benaud-Qadir Trophy, against Australia, slated to be played towards the end of this and into the next year.

"Pakistan will make a trip Down Under later in the year to take on Australia for the Benaud-Qadir Trophy. The three Tests — part of the third World Test Championship cycle — will be played at Perth, Melbourne and Sydney in December and January," a statement released by Cricket Australia read.

According to a statement released by the PCB, the first two Tests of the series will be played in December 2023, meanwhile the third Test will be held in January 2024.

The last time Pakistan and Australia came face to face in red-ball cricket was last year in March, when the latter won the three-match away series.

"This will be Pakistan captain Babar Azam’s third Test tour of Australia. The prolific stroke-maker previously landed on the Australian soil in December 2016, under Misbah-ul-Haq’s captaincy, and November 2019, when Azhar Ali was the captain of the side," the Pakistan Cricket Board (PCB) said in a press release.

"The right-hander has 278 runs — including a century — in five Tests. During the 2019 tour, Babar scored a century in the second innings in the first Test in Brisbane and followed it up with a 97 at Adelaide," it added.

Schedule of Pakistan tour of Australia

  • December 14-18: First Test, Perth Stadium
  • December 26-30: Second Test, MCG
  • January 3-7: Third Test, SCG

Apart from Pakistan, Australia will also host West Indies and South Africa during the home season with both men's and women's teams in action.