PAK vs AUS: Pakistan Ready For Test Challenge In Australia, Says Team Director Mohammad Hafeez

Team director and head coach Mohammad Hafeez has said Pakistan team are ready to take on the Test challenge in Australia ahead of the three-match Series Down Under, starting from Friday (December 14).

Pakistan led by Shan Masood will take on Pat Cummins' World Test champions Australia in the series opener at the Optus Stadium (WACA) in Perth from December 14 to 18 followed by the Boxing Day Test in MCG, Melbourne before the series concludes in SCG, Sydney early next year.

The Pakistan side played a four-day warm up match against the Prime Ministers XI side led by Nathan McSweeney last week at the Manuka Oval, where the match ended in a draw after the fourth day was washed out due to a storm.

Pakistan had scored 391/9 in 116.2 overs after opting to bat first with skipper Masood smashing an unbeaten double century. In response, the Prime Minister XI were 367/4 in 141 overs with Matthew Renshaw remaining unbeaten on 136 before the storm ended play.

Addressing the media after Pakistan's first practice session in Perth, Hafeez said he was surprised at the kind of wicket on offer in the practice match, but said that his side are ready for any kind of challenge.

"I was surprised and disappointed at the four-day match surface offered at Canberra. It was a slow wicket that might be part of Australia's strategy, but we are still fully ready for the series," Hafeez said.

"This Pakistan Test team is well settled and they have done well for the country in the past. It is heartening to see that these guys are excited to take on challenges and doing well in Australia will be a top priority."

Hafeez also said that Pakistan have enough talent to challenge Australia in their own backyard and can also beat the hosts, but he also confirmed that spinner Abrar Ahmed is not available for the series opener.

"We have ticked most of the boxes in our training. Everyone in the team is excited to showcase their ability and eager to win. Unfortunately, Abrar Ahmed is unfit but everyone else is fit and ready to take on Australia," Hafeez added.

Abrar Ahmed has been ruled out of the Perth Test and is undergoing rehabilitation. The spinner, however, is expected to be fit and available for the second Test, staring on December 26 in Melbourne.

Hafeez also praised spinner Nathan Lyon, who is set to return to Australia's Test team after a injury lay-off, but is hopeful his team's batter do well against the seasoned off-spinner.

"Lyon is a great bowler. He has won Test matches for his team but we generally play off-spin well and we have scored a lot of runs against him in the last few series. I hope our batters will do well against him in this series as well," Hafeez said.