Australia arrive in Sri Lanka for six-week all-format cricket tour

The Australian cricket team arrived in Colombo on Wednesday without new coach Andrew McDonald, who has tested positive for Covid. Pat Cummins will lead the side which will play two Tests, while the Aaron Finch-led team will compete in five ODIs and three T20 internationals.

Australia's first tour of Sri Lanka in six years, which features eight limited-overs matches and two Tests, marks the beginning of McDonald's tenure since succeeding Justin Langer in the job last month.

Welcome to Sri Lanka! 🙏#SLvAUS | #CheerForLions pic.twitter.com/JHPIEyiWkW

— Sri Lanka Cricket 🇱🇰 (@OfficialSLC) June 2, 2022

Assistant coach Michael Di Venuto would oversee the team in the first T20 match on June 7, while McDonald was expected to join the squad ahead of the second match, the news service, cricket.com.au, reported.

McDonald returned a positive result on Tuesday afternoon, it added.

The Australia squad raised concerns about touring Sri Lanka, which is in the midst of an economic crisis, but the cricket board of the South Asian country has declared the tour will go on as scheduled.

Meanwhile Australian ‘A’ team is also looking to play with Sri Lanka ‘A’ team series from June 8 and both National and ‘A’ team players have already arrived here to play their series concurrently. Australian National team will play their T20 match series on June 7 and 8 at the R. Premadasa International cricket Stadium while they will travel to Kandy, Pallekele for the third T20 game which is scheduled to be held on June 11.

The first two ODI’s will be played on June 14 and 16 at Pallekele and then once again they will come back to Colombo to play last three ODIs on June 19, 21, 23 followed by two Tests at Galle.