Adam Gilchrist leads call for Australia to tour Pakistan

Australia has not toured Pakistan since Mark Taylor led his team there in 1998, but with the security situation improving one Aussie legend is pushing for a return to the proud cricketing nation.

Australian Cricket team manager Steve Bernard (L) and his players pose with AK-47 rifles with Pakistan's border forces at Macani post near neighbouring Afghanistan. The Australian team visited the bordering tribal areas of Pakistan before their 2nd Test in Peshawar. Australia initially objected to playing in Peshawar, a border city and gateway to Afghanistan, and it was only after their two officials paid a pre-tour visit that the venue was cleared. AFP PHOTO. p/. 12 October 1998. /cricket /Pakistan

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Test legend Adam Gilchrist believes Australia should end a two-decade absence from Pakistan ‘sooner rather than later’ as players flock to its Twenty20 super league.

Pakistan Cricket Board president Wasim Khan, Cricket Australia counterpart Kevin Roberts and Gilchrist all told News Corp that signs point to an Australia Test tour in two years. Australia A could visit in the near future.

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Current Australian coach Justin Langer (centre) poses with team manager Steve Bernard (L) and Gavin Robertson (R) with AK-47 rifles with Pakistan's border forces at Macani post near neighbouring Afghanistan during the team’s 1998 tour of Pakistan. Picture: AFP PHOTO

Australia Cricketers’ Association president Shane Watson, all-rounder Ben Cutting and power hitter Chris Lynn are among 256 players that nominated for the Pakistan Super League to be held in the troubled nation next February.

“I understand the whole Pakistan Super League is being played there which would open the door for Test cricket,” Gilchrist told News Corp.

“I have spoken to Kevin Roberts who has been over there and Wasim Akram who lives there and they feel they are at a point where players can feel at comfort there. Let’s hope it happens sooner rather than later

“It is something they will have to start considering because the signs are Pakistan is putting all the measures to make sure it happens in a security sense.

“I have been in that situation before and know it is difficult.”

Mark Taylor batting against Pakistan in Karachi during the third Test of the 1998 tour.

Australia hasn’t returned to Pakistan since Mark Taylor’s 1998 three-Test tour. Countries were reticent to tour Pakistan after the 2009 Lahore terror attack on a Sri Lankan team bus.

Khan – the first British-born Muslim to play County cricket – notes Sri Lanka is returning to Pakistan for Tests this month. Sri Lanka great Kumar Sangakkara will lead an MCC XI to Pakistan in February followed by Pakistan hosting a series against Bangladesh.

“We are safer than anywhere in the world in terms of security. We believe cricket should be coming back,” said Khan who used a 20-day visit here to brief CA and the players’ union on the improved security landscape in Pakistan.

“We have been starved of Test cricket. Kevin and I are exploring whether we can get an Australia A tour over. We are confident we can deliver on the right security provisions.”

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Khan predicts the PSL will become a symbolic green light that ends Pakistan’s wilderness years. Former Leicestershire chief executive Khan says events in New Zealand and Sri Lanka show ‘no where’ can claim to be safe from terrorism.

“Shane Watson has registered for the PSL draft, Ben Cutting and Chris Lynn. Our greatest selling point in touring Pakistan is the PSL. Players come back and say it is safe as anywhere. We have been incident free for a period of time,” said Khan.

“We have all the PSL back in Pakistan, Tests back and making really good progress.”