By IANS,
Sydney : The Australian cricket team will tour Pakistan in April-May next year and again in 2010, Cricket Australia (CA) announced the rescheduled tour programme Monday.
Cricket Australia chairman Creagh O’Connor said: “Today’s announcement demonstrates Cricket Australia’s commitment to fulfilling its obligations under the Future Tours Program (FTP) and also to Pakistan cricket.”
Australia was to play in Pakistan this March-April, but CA deferred the tour March 11 over security concerns.
The 2009 tour of Pakistan will comprise five One-day Internationals and a Twenty20 international following the Australian team’s commitments in South Africa. Australia will again play three Test matches in Pakistan in August-September 2010.
“We’re pleased to have reached agreement to travel to Pakistan to complete the postponed matches and to play in them in Australia as agreed under the FTP,” O’Connor said.
Pakistan will tour Australia in 2009-10 for three Tests, five one-day internationals and a Twenty20 international.
Meanwhile, as international cricket schedules get further cramped by the Twenty20 Indian Premier League matches, Rajasthan Royal’s captain Shane Warne told the Sydney Morning Herald that it was “lovely” to be playing in India and urged the International Cricket Council to fully embrace the new competition.