‘Good luck to both teams’: PM Imran welcomes Australian cricket team to Pakistan

Prime Minister Imran Khan welcomed the Australian cricket team to Pakistan, visiting the country after 24 years, saying he “looked forward to a highly competitive and interesting series.”

“I welcome the Australian cricket team to Pakistan after an absence of 24 yrs,” said the premier on Twitter.

I welcome the Australian cricket team to Pakistan after an absence of 24 yrs. Pakistan's cricket lovers have always had great respect & admiration for Australian cricket & we are all looking forward to a highly competitive & interesting series. Good luck to both teams.

— Imran Khan (@ImranKhanPTI) March 4, 2022

“Pakistan’s cricket lovers have always had great respect & admiration for Australian cricket & we are all looking forward to a highly competitive & interesting series.”

For the first time in 24 years, the Australian team is in Pakistan, having refused to tour since 1998 over security fears.

Pakistan captain Babar Azam won the toss on Friday and elected to bat in the first Test against Australia at the Rawalpindi Cricket Stadium.

A sell-out crowd of 16,000 is expected.

Read more: Fawad Chaudhry invites Indian cricket team to play in Pakistan

Earlier, Minister for Information and Broadcasting Fawad Chaudhry also invited the Indian cricket team to play Pakistan.