44 Friday Sports Friday, November 15, 2019 Test cricket to finally return to Pakistan with Sri Lanka tour KARACHI: Test cricket will return to Pak- highly regarded cricket format, is an impor- istan after a long gap of 10 years after Sri tant step — especially when it involves Sri Lanka agreed to a tour for two matches next Lanka. “The Test series schedule was con- month, the Pakistan Cricket Board an- firmed today after Cricket Sri Lanka gave nounced yesterday. The vote of confidence their thumbs-up... following a highly suc- from Sri Lanka is hugely symbolic, as it was cessful visit last month,” said a Pakistan the attack on their team bus during a visit to Cricket Board statement Thursday. Lahore in 2009 which drove international The first Test will be played in Rawalpindi cricket away from Pakistan as the country from December 11-15, while the second Test grappled with militancy. will be held in Karachi from December 19- Six policemen and two civilians were 23. “Sri Lanka’s one-day and T20 tour not killed while seven Sri Lankan players were only delivered security from the top draw, injured in the attack. For years afterwards, but packed houses sent out a loud and clear Pakistan hosted all its “home” games in the message about the security situation in the United Arab Emirates as foreign teams re- country as well as passion for the game,” the fused to visit the cricket-mad country for PCB said. security fears. “This is fabulous news for Pakistan and But Pakistan has seen a dramatic im- its reputation of being as safe and secure provement in security in recent years, as any other country in the world,” added and international cricket has begun to PCB director of international cricket Zakir creep back. Minnows Zimbabwe became Khan. The PCB statement quoted Cricket the first team to return Pakistan in 2015 Sri Lanka’s chief executive Ashley de Silva for one-days and Twenty20s, followed by as saying they were “pleased” to confirm a Twenty20 series by a World XI in 2017, the tour. a one-off T20 match against Sri Lanka “We are comfortable and convinced later that year, and a visit by the West In- conditions are suitable and conducive for dies in 2018. Test cricket,” he was quoted as saying. The Sri Lanka also completed three one-day two Tests will be part of the World Test internationals and as many Twenty20s in Championship, which is being played be- CANBERRA: File photo shows Pakistan’s paceman Mohammad Irfan (R) celebrates his wicket of Aaron Karachi and Lahore last month. But the an- tween the top nine teams of the world, cul- Finch of Australia with teammates during the second Twenty20 match between Australia and Pakistan nouncement of a Test series, still the most minating in a final in June 2021. — AFP at the Manuka Oval in Canberra on November 5, 2019. — AFP as a “bat-off” for the Test slots up for grabs. “As al- Bancroft, Burns back ways there were players who were unlucky to miss Waqar Younis excited the squad. Those players remain firmly in the national as Ashes flops axed selection frame and will continue to be monitored by teenage quicks closely,” added Hohns. Middle-order batsman Travis Head, who was dropped for the last Ashes Test, was given another SYDNEY: Pace great Waqar Younis an Australian team featuring Test as- for Pakistan Tests chance after young prodigy Will Pucovski, widely believes Pakistan’s young and largely pirants Joe Burns, Travis Head, Usman tipped to be included, pulled out of contention earlier untested fast-bowling attack can cause Khawaja, Marcus Harris and Cameron SYDNEY: Cameron Bancroft and Joe Burns got the Thursday citing his “mental wellbeing”. big problems for Australia in their im- Bancroft for 122 then restricted them nod yesterday for Australia’s Test squad to face Pucovski, who announced himself with a superb minent Test series as the team looks to to 91 for two in the second innings. Pakistan, with Usman Khawaja and Marcus Harris 243 for Victoria against Western Australia last season, bounce back from a poor Twenty20 “All those batters have played for axed after flopping during the Ashes series against has a history of mental health battles. Following that campaign. Australia or are knocking at the door,” England. double century, he took a long break and later told Following the retirement of Mo- added Younis.†”So getting them out Bowling allrounder Michael Neser was also in- reporters: “It was one of those things where what it hammad Amir and Wahab Riaz this early and bowling out the entire team cluded as a back-up to the formidable pace attack looked like from the outside wasn’t quite matching up year, Pakistan have brought 16-year- cheaply will probably give us a very of Josh Hazelwood, Pat Cummins, Mitchell Starc and with what it was on the inside. old Nasim Shah and 19-year-old pair good message, that we are here for James Pattinson. Bancroft was only rushed into the “I was more confused than at any other time in my Musa Khan and Shaheen Afridi to the business. Australia A team at the last minute this week when life,” he added. He seemed to recover and was para- Australia, along with veteran seamer “We want to win and we want to Nic Maddinson pulled out to deal with mental chuted into the Australia squad in January for two Imran Khan senior. challenge this Australian side, so health issues. Tests against Sri Lanka, but did not play and was re- While Imran destroyed Australia A there’s definitely confidence.” The first But he made the most of his opportunity, top-scor- leased during the second Test as he continued to in Pakistan’s warm-up match in Perth of two Tests against Australia gets un- ing with 49 in their first innings total of 122 all out to struggle. this week with 5-32 in their first in- derway in Brisbane next week, with put himself in the reckoning after failing to make an Pucovski is the third Australian Test aspirant in re- nings, Nasim produced eight high- Pakistan looking to improve after los- impact in the Ashes on his return to Test cricket after cent weeks to take time away from cricket to tackle quality overs in the second innings. ing the Twenty20 series 2-0. a ball-tampering ban. mental health issues, with Maddinson and Glenn Younis, Pakistan’s bowling coach, said Babar Azam and Iftikhar Ahmed, He is one of three specialist openers, along with Maxwell also both currently out of action. Hohns said he saw enough during the match to who are both in the Test squad, were Burns and Warner, but is more likely to play down the Neser was included due to “his ability move the ball suggest Nasim and Afridi, in particu- the only Pakistan batsmen to make order if selected for the two Tests starting in Brisbane both ways, giving the team another bowling option lar, can shine on Australia’s hard, fast an impact over the short format. But next week, followed by a day-night clash in Adelaide. depending on the conditions”. pitches. Younis believes their batting stocks Burns was unlucky to be overlooked for the Ashes “We are blessed to have four of the best fast “Of course, that sort of perform- are deep enough to cope with a Test having scored a century in the last Test he played bowlers in the world challenging each other for spots ance (against Australia A) makes you barrage from Josh Hazlewood, Pat against Sri Lanka in February. National selector and most importantly playing as a group,” he added. feel that you’re not naive being here Cummins, Mitchell Starc and James Trevor Hohns suggested he would open with Warner, Asutralia Test squad: Tim Paine (capt), Cameron and you can really do the job,” he said Pattinson. “I don’t think Pakistan is pointing out that “he has Test hundreds on the board Bancroft, Joe Burns, Pat Cummins, Josh Hazlewood, in The Sydney Daily Telegraph news- worried about facing them or scared and has combined very well with David in the past”. Travis Head, Marnus Labuschagne, Nathan Lyon, paper yesterday. Pakistan dismissed of any of them,” he said. — AFP Harris and Khawaja miss out after failing to impress Michael Neser, James Pattinson, Steve Smith, Mitchell in England or in the Australia A match, which was seen Starc, Matthew Wade, David Warner. — AFP.