England cricket team managing director Rob Key and Test player Ollie Pope are optimistic about Pakistan’s security ahead of the historic tour later in December.
According to Sky Sports, Key said he is looking forward to the first Test in Rawalpindi beginning on December 1 and reaffirmed that there are no reservations about the Pakistan tour.
Rob said: “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 are looking forward to it.”
“It’ll be a historical tour.” I enjoyed the T20 series while I was there; the security was the best I’d seen. “As a result, we have no worries or concerns,” he added.
Meanwhile, Pope lauded Pakistan’s security after speaking with several T20I players who visited the country earlier this year.
“I believe it will go ahead. I was talking with the T20 players, and their security made them feel extremely safe. “We have faith in the guys at the top of the ECB and security, and we will support their decision,” the 24-year-old said.
England v Pakistan Test Schedule
According to the schedule, the first Test will take place in Rawalpindi on December 1, but if political unrest, the match will be moved to Karachi.
The Second Test will take place in Multan starting on Friday, December 9, while the third will be played in Karachi beginning 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.
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