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Pakistan are planning to host world champions Australia for two Test and five one-dayers in April this year, Pakistan Cricket Board (PCB) chairman Nasim Ashraf said on Wednesday.

Ashraf said that the Board has worked out a tentative schedule for the home series which is expected to get underway from March 29. The series is likely to open with a three-day warm-up game.

The PCB chief said that the two Tests will be played in Lahore and Faisalabad adding that Lahore will also host two One-day Internationals (ODIs) while the rest of the ODIs will be played in Karachi, Faisalabad and Multan.

Pakistan have decided to host the tour matches just at major venues with the belief that the visitors will feel safer there than at smaller centres. However, a question mark still hangs over the fate of the Aussie tour as Cricket Australia (CA) continues to monitor the security situation in Pakistan.

Ashraf said that CA is likely to send its security experts on March 6 before taking a final decision on the tour. The PCB chief was hopeful that the Australians will fulfil their commitment according to ICC’s Future Tour Programme (FTP).

He pointed out that Zimbabwe played an ODI series in Pakistan recently while top Test-playing nations of the continent have confirmed their participation in the Asia Cup in Pakistan this summer. “If other Test teams have no problems in coming to Pakistan then why can’t Australia visit and play in our country?” he asked. The Australians have not toured Pakistan since 1998-99.

Source:Cricket News