Australia spinner Nathan Lyon said on Wednesday he was proud to be involved in the team's first tour of Pakistan in 24 years and hoped for a 3-0 Test series win to make the trip even more memorable.
Australia completed a 4-0 Ashes series victory over England earlier this year and while it faces vastly different conditions in Pakistan Lyon said the goal was to win every match.
“My mindset is every game we go into, we will look to win, not draw or lose. My mindset is to win 3-0 in Pakistan,” Lyon told reporters ahead of the first Test, which begins on Friday in Rawalpindi.
‘Proud moment’
Major teams have shunned Pakistan since an attack on the Sri Lanka team bus in Lahore in 2009 that killed six policemen and two civilians but international sides have recently started touring the country again. “Pakistan haven't had the opportunity to have a lot of international cricket here over a number of years so to be able to be the first Australian team to come here to play ... It's a pretty proud moment,” Lyon said.
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“We've spoken as a group about how big it is for the people of Pakistan to see the likes of Steve Smith, David Warner, Pat Cummins and Marnus Labuschagne ... these guys are proud to come out here and play to be role models.”
Lyon said the wickets looked similar to those in the United Arab Emirates and he expected a good batting track early in the opening match before spin and reverse swing later. “My role is going to change across the Test matches. There's going to be times where I'll be in a holding role ... where there is opportunity for me to be more attacking I will,” Lyon said.
“All bowlers in our squad are well prepared to play whatever role it takes to perform well. It's going to be challenging but we've got the squad to cover all areas.”
The Benaud-Qadir Trophy
Australia will play for the Benaud-Qadir Trophy to mark its first cricket test series in Pakistan in 24 years.
The Pakistan Cricket Board on Wednesday confirmed the new trophy would be named to honor two legendary leg-spinners: Richie Benaud of Australia and Pakistan’s Abdul Qadir.
Benaud led Australia to a 2-0 victory in its inaugural series in Pakistan in 1959 and, after retiring from test cricket, become a widely-known TV commentator. Qadir had a rich haul of 45 wickets in 11 test matches against Australia.
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“I am delighted to give my approval for Richie’s name to be on this trophy alongside that of Abdul Qadir," Benaud's wife, Daphne, said in a statement issued by the PCB. “Richie had a very high regard for Abdul and the fact that both were leg-spinners has a nice ring to it."
The PCB said that Cricket Australia has agreed to present the Benaud-Qadir trophy at the end of each men’s test series played between the two countries.
PCB chief executive Faisal Hasnain said there could be no better way to launch the historic series than in the names of two “absolute legends and icons of this great game.”
Both captains -- Pat Cummins of Australia and Babar Azam of Pakistan -- unveiled the trophy at the Pindi Cricket Stadium two days ahead of the series-opening test.
“We really are standing on the shoulders of these greats of the past who helped to grow and popularize the game, and if my team can collect that trophy at the end of this series then it really would be the perfect end to the test part of this historic tour,” Cummins said.
Azam said cricket greats such as Benaud and Qadir should be recognized and “the game is today healthy, wealthy and strong because of such individuals and their legacy."
Australia's test team last toured Pakistan in 1998. Pakistan has hosted its “home” series against Australia in neutral venues since then.
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