Australia’s men’s cricket team have arrived in Pakistan for their first tour of the country in 24 years and captain Pat Cummins says an extreme security operation is making them feel safe.
Almost 4000 police and military personnel are guarding the team hotel in the capital city of Islamabad and will do the same at the venue of the first Test in Rawalpindi.
“It’s comforting,” Cummins said in a Zoom press conference from the team hotel.
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“We’re really lucky to be surrounded by so many professionals. That was one of the big factors that we wanted to be thorough on before arriving here: not only security but biosecurity. Everyone’s done a fantastic job.
“We feel like we’re here and we can just focus on the cricket.”
Australia are in Pakistan for the first time since 1998, when Mark Taylor equalled Sir Donald Bradman‘s then national record score of 334 in a Test in Peshawar.
Taylor’s men won a three-Test series 1-0 and swept the home side in three one-dayers.
The Cummins-led side are set to play five-day cricket for the first time since regaining the No.1 Test ranking, on the back of the 4-0 thumping of England in the Ashes.
“There’s lots of things going on around us which might feel a bit different to what we’re used to, but we know it’s being taken care of,” Cummins said.
“We can just really enjoy our first tour here in 24 years.”
The first Test will get underway on Friday.
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