TIM’S PAK MISSION
Paine keeps faith for World XI in terror hotspot
TIGERS gloveman Tim Paine will put full faith in the ICC security as part of a World XI that marks the return of international cricket to terrorism-ravaged Pakistan after an eight-year absence.
No international cricket has been held in the subcontinental country since a terror attack against the Sri Lankan team in 2009 forced international games to be relocated to the United Arab Emirates.
The 33-year-old Paine said he had to have a good think about whether he would travel with the World XI team.
“I was contacted two or three months ago about playing and when [team coach] Andy Flower put together the team I ummed and aahed with it being in Pakistan,” Paine said. “I think there’s some really tight security and I trust the people employed to make these decisions.”
Paine will again team with Tigers skipper George Bailey in the World XI squad, which will be led by South African Test captain Faf du Plessis.
“We [Bailey and I] were both on a preliminary list of players selected to play, so we were both happy to receive the news that we’re both named,” Paine said.
Paine’s announcement in the 14-man squad follows a successful period for the wicketkeeper who was recently named in Australia’s T20 squad to tour India.
Paine said his selection in the national squad came as a surprise.
“It was a little bit unexpected when I received the call from Mark Waugh telling me I’d been selected,” he said.
“I’m really excited to have my glovework recognised, and to play among what looks to be a full-strength Australian side.”
Paine will enter his 13th year with the Tigers for the 2017-18 season after contracts were announced last week by Cricket Tasmania.
Speculation grew earlier in the year whether Paine would recommit to the state after coach Dan Marsh was sacked and Victorian keeper Matthew Wade made public his desire to return to Tasmania.
The three-game T20 series between the World XI and Pakistan starts September 12. World XI squad: Faf du Plessis (capt), Hashim Amla, David Miller, Morne Morkel, Samuel Badree, George Bailey, Ben Cutting, Grant Elliot, Tamim Iqbal, Tim Paine, Thisara Perera, Daren Sammy, Imran Tahir, Paul Collingwood James Kitto is a UTAS journalism student.