Pakistan to play four-day game against PM’s XI ahead of Australia Test series

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Pakistan will make a trip Down Under next month to take on Australia for the Benaud-Qadir Trophy.

Cricket Australia (CA) announced on Monday that the Pakistan Cricket team will play a four-day red ball fixture against the Prime Minister’s XI at Manuka Oval in Canberra from December 6 to 9, 2023. This encounter will serve as a preparatory step for Pakistan before their upcoming three-match Test series against Australia.

This will be the third occasion that Pakistan faces the Prime Minister’s XI, with previous meetings taking place in 1990 and 2005.

It will be played in the week leading up to the first Test between Pakistan and Australia at the Perth Stadium on 14 December and it will mark the first instance of the Men in Green playing a Test at the venue. The two teams will face off in the Boxing Day Test at the iconic Melbourne Cricket Ground from 26 till 30 December and the third and final match will be played at the Sydney Cricket Ground from 3 January, 2024.

Expressing his anticipation for the encounter, Australian Prime Minister Anthony Albanese lauded Pakistan as a cricketing powerhouse and expressed his excitement about the clash between the PM's XI and the talented Pakistani squad in Canberra.

“Pakistan is such a proud cricketing nation. I’ve previously loved watching players like Wasim Akram and Waqar Younis steaming in with the new ball, so I’m excited the PM’s XI will face the talented Pakistan squad in Canberra,” Albanese said.

George Bailey, the Chair of Selectors at Cricket Australia, highlighted the significance of this match in the context of the Australian Men's Test team's evolution during the summer, which includes five home Tests and two away matches in New Zealand.

“We are looking forward to meeting with the Prime Minister and I’m sure those selected will be excited for the challenge of facing the quality of Pakistan," Bailey said.

"Opportunities to face international opposition like this are rare and taken seriously, and as such we are looking to select a strong and highly talented squad," he added.

The Benaud-Qadir Trophy was launched in 2022 when Australia arrived in Pakistan after 16 years for a three-Test series. Pat Cummin’s side bagged the first iteration as they bagged the series 1-0 after defeating Pakistan in Lahore in the third and final Test.

Schedule

Four-day match: PM’s XI vs Pakistan – December 6-9: Manuka Oval, Canberra

1st Test – Australia vs Pakistan – December 14-18: Perth Stadium

2nd Test – Australia vs Pakistan – December 26-30: Melbourne Cricket Ground (MCG)

3rd Test – Australia vs Pakistan – January 3-7: Sydney Cricket Ground (SCG)