Even as uncertainty continued over Pakistan’s participation in the next month’s T20 World Cup, Australia’s T20I squad, led by Mitchell Marsh, arrived in Lahore on Wednesday for a three-match series against Pakistan.The series is being treated as Pakistan’s final preparation ahead of the T20 World Cup, but it is still unclear whether the team will receive government approval to play in the tournament, which begins on February 7.Pakistan Cricket Board (PCB) chairman Mohsin Naqvi, after meeting Pakistan Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif, said that all options remain open and that a final decision will be taken either on Friday or next Monday.
Pakistan has objected to the International Cricket Council’s (ICC) decision to replace Bangladesh with Scotland in the T20 World Cup. Bangladesh were removed after the Bangladesh Cricket Board (BCB) and the country’s interim government said the team would not travel to India for matches due to security concerns.Despite the situation, Pakistan has named its squad for the 20-team World Cup. With one change, the squad is the same as the one selected to face Australia. Fast bowler Muhammad Wasim Jr has been left out of the World Cup squad but will be available for the series against Australia.Australia have arrived in Lahore without several senior players, including Pat Cummins. Cummins, Josh Hazlewood, Glenn Maxwell, Tim David and Nathan Ellis have all been rested for the Pakistan series to allow them to recover from injuries ahead of the World Cup.The Australian team, touring Pakistan for the first time since mid-2022, still includes players such as Travis Head, Cameron Green and Josh Inglis, all of whom featured in the Ashes.Australia squad: Mitch Marsh (c), Sean Abbott, Xavier Bartlett, Mahli Beardman, Cooper Connolly, Ben Dwarshuis, Jack Edwards, Cameron Green, Travis Head, Josh Inglis (wk), Matthew Kuhnemann, Mitch Owen, Josh Philippe (wk), Matthew Renshaw, Matt Short, Marcus Stonis, Adam Zampa
