Cricket Australia has begun evaluating conditions in Pakistan after sending a multi-member team to Lahore, launching a detailed review that will influence whether the national side proceeds with its planned visit early next year. The group’s arrival signals the first formal step in determining the viability of a three-match T20I series expected to take place in January, followed by a separate one-day program tentatively positioned for March.
The delegation comprises an independent security expert, an Australian Cricketers’ Association representative, and officials from the Australian High Commission. Their presence is tied directly to heightened unease after a deadly explosion in Islamabad, an incident that left multiple casualties near the city’s judicial complex and revived long-standing concerns about player safety in the region.
Soon after touching down, the visiting officials held discussions with Pakistan Cricket Board chairman and federal interior minister Mohsin Naqvi. Those meetings covered operational planning, protective measures, and broader risk-management strategies relevant to Australia’s time in the country. Their conversations form one part of a wider checklist that will culminate in a report delivered to Cricket Australia in the coming weeks.
Sri Lanka players previously raised issue
The review follows disruptions felt beyond the Australian camp. A number of Sri Lankan players who were present in Islamabad during the blast conveyed their fears to Sri Lanka Cricket, which subsequently cautioned its squad that withdrawing from the ongoing tour could prompt disciplinary consequences. The episode added urgency to the assessments now underway in Lahore.
While in the city, the Australian delegation is carrying out on-site inspections at Gaddafi Stadium and the LCCA Ground. They are also scrutinising the hotel earmarked for the touring party and the transport arrangements proposed for match days and training sessions. Additional meetings with PCB officials and domestic security agencies are on the agenda before the group finalizes its conclusions.
Although the ODI leg scheduled for March remains on paper, discussions are in progress about shifting that portion of the tour due to pressures created by a crowded international calendar leading into the 2027 ODI World Cup cycle.
Cricket Australia is expected to determine whether the January matches proceed once the delegation submits its full security evaluation.