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Pakistan will undertake a short tour to Australia this year for a one-day series, team officials said Tuesday. "Pakistan will play a one-day internationals series comprising four to five matches this year sometime in June-July," skipper Waqar Younis told reporters.

Team manager Yawar Saeed said: "Pakistan has accepted the proposal because the team is already cricket starved and the management is cashing in on any playing opportunity that comes their way."

Australia had offered their Pakistani counterparts to play a one-day series last month which the Pakistan Cricket Board (PCB) immediately accepted, the officials said.

They said itinerary of the series was still to be mutually decided. But the possibility was that the matches would be played in the indoor Colonial Stadium in Melbourne.

Indoor cricket got popularity in 2000 when South Africa played three one-day matches in Melbourne. Last year, India was scheduled to play as many matches in the Brisbane and Melbourne complexes. But the tour didn't materialize because of India's back-breaking international season.

Yawar added: "It is sort of a helping hand by the Australian Cricket Board (ACB) in the background that the sport has been badly suffered in the region and Pakistan team has been directly affected by it."

In the year that has just passed, Pakistan played six Tests and 21 one-day internationals. But since July, Pakistan has appeared in only one Test and five one-day internationals.

Yawar said the series would provide Pakistan an excellent opportunity to build team for the World Cup.

"Pakistan rates Australia very high and the matches should provide good opportunity to both the teams to evaluate their strengths and weaknesses," he said.

Pakistan, though multi-talent but under-achievers, are also scheduled to host Australia for three Tests and as many one- day internationals in September-October.

The two teams may lock horns in the ICC Knock-Out tournament planned for September. The venue and itinerary of the biennial competition is yet to be finalized.

Waqar, in his pre-tour press talk, admitted that Pakistan would be playing against an inexperienced and young team. But he minced no words in saying that this sport was funny arguing that Bangladesh would be playing in their backyard and have been competing at the highest level lately.

"On the same Australia tour in which we won the world series, we lost to a students team. This is a funny sport. "We are determined to play tough cricket," he said.

Asked if he would try to make full use of the matches by avoiding declarations to allow his batsmen have full use of match practice, Waqar said he would do what was in the best interest of the team.

"The main objective is to win matches. This tour is a start to a new calendar year in which a lot of hard cricket has to be played. And all the cricket will lead-up to World Cup which all the teams are eyeing."

Waqar hoped that the West Indies would trust the PCB and undertake a tour to Pakistan. But he said he would have no objection playing on neutral territory.

"We want to play cricket, whether it is in Pakistan or in a third country. We have already spent a frustrating time attending camps waiting for international cricket," he said.

The skipper admitted that it would be a crucial year for cricketers in the twilight of their careers. He, however, promised to extend his full cooperation to them and hinting that there would be minimum chopping and changing. "We have 20-25 players from which we will pick the squad for the World Cup. We would try to make little disturbance to the combination and composition of the team," he said.

The skipper also disapproved the ranking system introduced and approved by the International Cricket Council (ICC) saying it was "too confusing".

"I don't understand how Allan Donald can be the second best bowler after not having played consistently for the last six months. Similarly, Pakistan is placed eighth which is not a true reflection of our strength, ability and prowess. "But probably we have not played international cricket, that's why we are reeling at the bottom half. But I am determined to lift the team in top three by the end of the year."

The paceman, who will be touring Bangladesh for first time, said the players would love to be compensated for cancellation of New Zealand series and in case West Indies series doesn't materialize. But saidthe players would not make any demands.

"We are already well taken care of. "The PCB are planning to award contracts to the players and I think that would cover everything," he said.

Pakistan captain hoped tension between Pakistan and India will ease up and both countries resume cricketing ties. "I have always said that Pakistan and India must play against each other, its a great loss of cricket that these two nations do not play against each other due to political reasons."

India has boycotted cricketing ties with Pakistan and has also not played in any event alongside Pakistan since May last year.

"Five Tests between Pakistan and India can generate more interests than an Ashes series between England and Australia."

© Dawn