PESHAWAR: The head of the Australian Cricketers’ Association (ACA) Todd Greenberg supported Australia tour of Pakistan 2022 and assured that he is eager to accompany the team on the important visit.
However, some cricket websites have claimed that three to four top Australian cricketers are reluctant and some sources said that the position of David Warner is also not clear regarding the tour.
Todd Greenberg said the security reports received so far were “very positive” however, if some players do not want to go to Pakistan, it will be their personal decision and their opinion will be respected. To ensure the safety and security of the players, Greenberg said, he will accompany the team on visit to Pakistan. He added, “We need to be flexible about the cricketers’ international engagements and their decision to withdraw from the cricket series.”
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Meanwhile, officials of the Australian Cricket Board said that it will consult the players after the Ashes series about the tour of Pakistan. According to reports, after some senior players expressed reservations over the tour, the board has decided to seek the opinion of the players. It is likely that the ACB request the PCB to hold all the matches in the same city so that security and Covid-19 bio-bubble issues do not arise.
There are also reports that Mitchell Marsh is not “mentally prepared” for the visit. The Austrian cricket team visit to Pakistan is scheduled in March.
Yesterday, top order batter Usman Khawaja, who scored 100s in both innings of the historic fourth Test of the Ashes series, said that his is optimistic about Australia’s tour of Pakistan. “Pakistanis loves cricket. I have told my fellow cricketers that they can play their role in reviving, promoting and improving the game by visiting Pakistan,” Khawaja said in a Tv interview. He furthered that he has got all the support in Pakistan during his participation in PSL. “The experience of playing in PSL was very wonderful. I hope to return to Pakistan with the whole team very soon,” he expressed.
Former Australian legend Shane Warne and former England Test captain Michael Vaughan also spoke out in favor of the Australia tour of Pakistan 2022. The two cricket legends emphasized that major cricketing nations should visit countries like Pakistan and the International Cricket Council has a responsibility to promote the game. Warren said that a visit to Australia is very important for Pakistan and after Sri Lanka and Bangladesh, Australia, New Zealand, India and England should visit the country.