No reason Australia won't tour Pakistan in 2022

Pakistan Cricket Board (PCB) chief executive Wasim Khan is hopeful of convincing Australia to return to the country after 24 years with an extensive tour involving Tests and limited-overs matches in 2022, saying, "There is no reason right now Australia won't be coming".

A long-awaited resumption of Australian teams playing in Pakistan appeared to move a step closer on Wednesday night when Wasim mentioned in a statement confirming a first England tour in 16 years next October that "we also expect Australia to visit Pakistan for their FTP [Future Tours Programme] commitment in early 2022."

Contacted in Lahore by The Sydney Morning Herald and The Age on Thursday, Wasim said there had been no agreement yet for an

Australian return to Pakistan but reported talks with Cricket Australia (CA) had been positive.

"Our international cricket departments are working together on the schedule for February and March 2022," he said. "By then a lot of cricket will have been played in Pakistan. "There's been no formal announcement at the moment because there is still a lot of cricket to be played. But all things going well, we're looking forward to welcoming them in 2022."

Under the FTP, the international playing calendar,

Australia are scheduled to play two Tests, three ODIs and three Twenty20 games away to Pakistan. It was forecast last year that an Australian visit to Pakistan, if given the green light, would most likely come in the form of a brief fly-in, fly-out series of white-ball matches but the PCB would like them to stay longer.

"All of those things are being discussed at the moment," Wasim said. "Ideally, as a PCB we would like them to come for an extended period of time, so we can complete both white and red-ball obligations."