Seasoned Australian pacer Josh Hazlewood said he won’t be surprised if some of his national teammates refuse to tour Pakistan next month on security grounds. Australia are expected to tour Pakistan in March, the first time in 24 years since a Mark Taylor-led team visited the Asian country in 1998. (More Cricket News)
“There's a lot of things in place and there's been a lot of work in the background by CA and the ACA,” cricket.com.au quoted Hazlewood as saying.
“So the trust is quite high there from the players, but there would certainly be some concerns from the players and I wouldn't be surprised if some of them don't make the tour. And that's very fair. People will discuss it with their families ... and come up with an answer and everyone respects that.”
Australia's tour of Pakistan comprises three Tests, three ODIs and a lone T20 International. The Test matches are scheduled to take place in Karachi (March 3-7), Rawalpindi (March 12-16) and Lahore (March 21-25), which will also be the venue for the four white-ball matches to be played from March 29 to April 5.
Hazlewood had missed a major part of the team's triumphant Ashes campaign against England owing to a frustrating side strain, leaving him on the sidelines.
“If I'd had a normal (side strain), a big injury and you know you're going to be out, then you can deal with it all at once. But it just kept teasing, kept teasing, I might be able to play this one, I might be able to play that one,” said Hazlewood.
“I've certainly had a typical side strain, where you tear your oblique (muscle), you can't bowl another ball and are out for at least six or seven weeks. This one was different ... the strength came back really quickly... It was just bowling, that dynamic movement, that caused a bit of grief. It was an unusual one.”
Asked how he felt after Australia won the five-match Ashes 4-0, the 31-year-old pacer said: "It was very frustrating. You probably don't realize it as much now, but when you look back in 10 years ... people will talk about the Ashes when they won 4-0 in 2021 ... and it'd hit you again.
“It was frustrating watching and obviously as time goes on, you'd be reminded of it more often than not. But that's part of fast bowling, I guess.”
