Pakistan Shaheens to Tour Darwin Under Jason Gillespie's Guidance

Jason Gillespie, the newly appointed Test coach of Pakistan, will lead the Pakistan Shaheens (Pakistan A) on a tour to Darwin, Australia, next month. The tour will feature two four-day matches against Bangladesh A, as well as participation in the Top End T20 series.

Gillespie, who recently resigned as coach of South Australia and the Adelaide Strikers, expressed his excitement about the opportunity to coach Pakistan's Test side. "It's an honour," he said. "I've been coaching for quite a while now in various roles around the world, but one thing I haven't done is coach an international Test side. When this opportunity presented itself, I jumped at it."

The Shaheens will play two four-day games against Bangladesh A from July 19-22 and 26-29. Gillespie will serve as head coach for these matches before returning to Pakistan to prepare for a two-Test series against Bangladesh.

During the tour, the Shaheens will also play 50-over matches against Northern Territory and Bangladesh A. They will then participate in the Top End T20 series, which will feature nine teams, including Perth Scorchers, Adelaide Strikers, and Tasmania.

The PCB has announced a Shaheens' squad for the tour, which includes fast bowler Khurram Shahzad, who made his Test debut against Australia in Perth last year.

The Top End T20 series will provide pre-season opportunities for Australian domestic cricketers who are not involved in overseas competitions. "The competition adds another layer to what our pre-season would typically be, exposing players to tournament conditions ahead of the Australian domestic season," said Kade Harvey, Perth Scorchers' general manager.

The PCB expressed gratitude to Northern Territory for inviting the Pakistan Shaheens for the second consecutive year. "Last year, the players had a memorable experience and enjoyed playing and performing in excellent playing conditions, in front of enthusiastic cricket fans," said Usman Wahla, PCB director of international cricket.

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