After 24 years, Australia's cricket team is back in Pakistan

Thousands of security personnel are expected to be deployed during the Australians' stay and the Pakistan cricket board expects fully vaccinated capacity crowds for the Tests and limited-overs series

Australia arrived for its first tour to Pakistan in 24 years on Sunday with the visitors due to play three Test matches, three one-day internationals and a one-off Twenty20 during their six-week tour.

Australia last toured Pakistan in 1998 when it won the Test series 1-0 while also winning all the matches in the limited-overs series. Pakistan has struggled to attract visiting sides since a fatal terrorist attack on the visiting Sri Lanka team's bus in 2009, and Australia pulled out of a tour five years earlier after a suicide blast at a Lahore church.

Pakistan has hosted Zimbabwe, Sri Lanka, West Indies, Bangladesh and South Africa over the last six years, but Australia is the first high-profile team that will be touring Pakistan for a fully-fledged bilateral series.

Last year both New Zealand and England pulled out of limited-overs tours to Pakistan due to security concerns. New Zealand abandoned its tour just hours before the toss for the first ODI in Rawalpindi, which is due to host the first Test against Australia beginning March 4.

The Pakistan Cricket Board has labeled 2022 as “bumper year” with New Zealand and England also due to tour Pakistan later this year.

Karachi will host the second Australia Test from March 12-16 followed by the third Test at Lahore from March 21-25. Rawalpindi will host the ODI series from March 29 before Australia rounds off its tour with a Twenty20 on April 5.