ISLAMABAD: Australian Test Skipper Patrick Cummins said Sunday he and his team feel “incredibly safe” in Pakistan and termed the country an “incredible cricket playing nation.”<\/p>\n
“I feel incredibly safe and we’ve been really well looked after by the Pakistan Cricket Board,” Cummins said in a virtual press conference after landing in Islamabad.<\/p>\n
“There’s been lots of security upon arrival. We were straight off the plane and straight to the hotel,” said Cummins, whose side is touring Pakistan for the first time since November 1998.<\/p>\n
During the tour, the Aussie men will take on Green Shirts in three Test matches \u2014 in Rawalpindi, Lahore, and Karachi \u2014 and the same number of ODIs and one T20 in Rawalpindi.<\/p>\n
The first match of the Test series will begin on March 4.<\/p>\n
Cummins said his side played throughout the summer in the Ashes back home in Australia.<\/p>\n
\u201cNow the challenge is to try to continue that form. Pakistan is an incredible cricket playing nation and the Pakistan Super League is been very successful. Pakistan came to play in Australia and hopefully, we can return the favour,\u201d he said.<\/p>\n
Cummins oversaw Australia’s 4-1 Ashes romp against England in his first series in charge and the speedster was confident they could be as assertive against Babar Azam’s side.<\/p>\n
He said the thing makes him more excited was the fans.<\/p>\n
\u201cWhen we have come to play in the subcontinent the fans are so passionate and it is the first test match (Pak-Aus) here in 24 years. So we hope the fans can enjoy,\u201d he said.<\/p>\n
The thing we love about Pakistan team was young guys coming forward and shining, Cummins said.<\/p>\n
To a question, the skipper said we would go out to the ground and have a look to see what we want to pick for the best 11 \u2014 two spinners or three quicks.<\/p>\n
\u201cSteve Smith (vice-captain) has played a lot in the subcontinent so I\u2019ll be laying on him about the field placements, spin bowling etc. (Test match) is 90 overs a day so we will look one day at a time,\u201d he said.<\/p>\n
Cummins said the team\u2019s schedule was really packed.<\/p>\n
\u201cWe are playing 15 days Test cricket in the space of 28 days and then three ODIs,\u201d he said.<\/p>\n