Aaron Finch: Pakistan has been deprived of international cricket for long time now

This is Australia's first tour to Pakistan since 1998, when Mark Taylor's side won the three-Test series 1-0. "As a player, I can't wait to go to Pakistan for the white-ball leg," Aaron Finch, Australia's white-ball captain told Sportstar from Melbourne.

"World cricket's in a much better place when Pakistan's thriving as a cricket nation," Finch said.

Australia on Friday confirmed the dates for its tour to Pakistan. The tour will feature three Tests, three ODIs and one T20 fixture, with squads expected to be announced in the coming days. It is Australia's first tour to Pakistan since 1998 when Mark Taylor's side won the three-Test series 1-0. "As a player, I can't wait to go to Pakistan for the white-ball leg," Aaron Finch, Australia's white-ball captain, told Sportstar from Melbourne.

"That's one part of the world that's been deprived of (international) cricket for a long time now, and world cricket's in a much better place when Pakistan's thriving as a cricket nation," he added.

 

International teams have been reluctant to travel to Pakistan since the terrorist attack on the Sri Lanka team bus in Lahore in 2009, though international cricket is finding its feet again in the country. But last year, England's scheduled tour of Pakistan for two T20Is in mid-October was cancelled, following New Zealand's last-minute withdrawal from its tour of the country due to a security threat.

Finch exalted Pakistan's "rich history in the game. I think we've to do everything to make sure the game is as sustainable as it can be all around the world. We are doing the game a disservice if we don't do that. And as far as I'm aware, we will have a full-strength pool to pick the squad from."