England ‘trust security’ in Pakistan ahead of historic tour

First Test starts on December 1 in Rawalpindi

By Web Desk
November 23, 2022
England team will arrive in Pakistan on November 27 — AFP

LONDON: Managing Director of England cricket team Rob Key and Test batter Ollie Pope are confident about security in Pakistan ahead of the historic tour.

According to Sky Sports, Key reiterated that there were no concerns about Pakistan tour and he is looking forward to the first Test in Rawalpindi from December 1.

“From what I have heard so far, everything will go ahead. The one I trust in such a situation is Reg Dickason, our security advisor. All the players trust him because he has been around for a very long time. I’m not hearing anything from him to suggest that the tour won’t go ahead. We will be playing that first Test match and we are looking forward to it,” said key.

“It will be a historic tour. I loved the T20 series when I was out there and the security out there was as good as I have seen. So, we have got no worries and concerns,” he added.

Meanwhile, Pope also lauded security in Pakistan after speaking to some of the players who toured the country earlier this year during a T20I series.

“I think it will go ahead. I have been chatting to the T20 guys and the security that they had made they feel incredibly safe. We trust the guys at the top of the ECB and the security guys and we will back their decision,” the 24-year-old said.

Earlier, due to a political party's march towards twin cities of Rawalpindi and Islamabad, it was feared that the first Test would be affected.

The England team will arrive in Pakistan on November 27 for the much-anticipated tour.

The second Test moves to Multan starting on Friday, December 9, and the final Test of the tour will take place at the National Stadium in Karachi, commencing on Saturday, December 17.

Squads

Pakistan: Babar Azam (c), Mohammad Rizwan (wk), Abdullah Shafique, Abrar Ahmed, Azhar Ali, Faheem Ashraf, Haris Rauf, Imam-ul-Haq, Mohammad Ali, Mohammad Nawaz, Mohammad Wasim Jr, Naseem Shah, Nauman Ali, Salman Ali Agha, Sarfaraz Ahmed (wk), Saud Shakeel, Shan Masood and Zahid Mehmood.

England: Ben Stokes (c), James Anderson, Harry Brook, Zak Crawley, Ben Duckett, Ben Foakes (wk), Will Jacks, Keaton Jennings, Jack Leach, Liam Livingstone, Jamie Overton, Ollie Pope, Ollie Robinson, Joe Root and Mark Wood.

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