Pakistan is set to embark on a highly anticipated tour Down Under later this year to face Australia in a thrilling three-match Test series, competing for the prestigious Benaud-Qadir Trophy. The matches, which are part of the third World Test Championship cycle, will take place at Perth, Melbourne, and Sydney in December and January.

The tour will kick off on 14th December at Perth Stadium, marking Pakistan’s first-ever Test match at the venue. The teams will then clash in the iconic Boxing Day Test at the historic Melbourne Cricket Ground from 26th to 30th December. Finally, the series will conclude with the third and final Test at the Sydney Cricket Ground, scheduled to be held from 3rd January 2024.

Pakistan has previously played 10 Tests at the MCG and eight at the SCG, with two victories at each venue. As the team prepares for the challenging tour, they will participate in a four-day warm-up match to acclimatize to the Australian conditions.

This will be Pakistan captain Babar Azam’s third Test tour of Australia, having previously toured in December 2016 and November 2019. Babar, a prolific batsman, has scored 278 runs in five Tests against Australia, including a century. During the 2019 tour, he impressed with a century in the second innings of the first Test in Brisbane, followed by a brilliant 97 at Adelaide.

Another player to watch out for is Naseem Shah, who made his Pakistan debut in Brisbane in November 2019. Since then, he has become a key member of Pakistan’s bowling lineup across all formats, amassing 80 wickets in 42 matches as a talented right-arm speedster.

Pakistan’s most recent visit to Australia was for the ICC Men’s T20 World Cup, where they reached the final and finished as runners-up.

The Benaud-Qadir Trophy, introduced in 2022, symbolizes the bilateral Test series between Australia and Pakistan. In the inaugural edition, held in Pakistan after a 16-year hiatus, Pat Cummins’ Australian side clinched a 1-0 series victory by defeating Pakistan in the third and final Test in Lahore.

Cricket fans around the world are eagerly anticipating the clash between these two cricketing powerhouses as they vie for the Benaud-Qadir Trophy.

Schedule:

14th-18th Dec: First Test – Perth Stadium

26th-30th Dec: Second Test – Melbourne Cricket Ground

3rd-7th Jan: Third Test – Sydney Cricket Ground