Australian pacer Josh Hazlewood said on Wednesday he would not be surprised if security fears prompt some players to opt out of the upcoming Pakistan tour, as he eyes a comeback to the national team after recovering from injury.

Australia are scheduled to play three Tests, three ODIs and one T20I starting on March 3 in their first trip to Pakistan in 24 years.

A media report last week said many in the Australian camp were apprehensive about whether Pakistan would be safe. Hazlewood said Cricket Australia’s reassurances had eased his concern.

“There’s a lot of things in place and there’s been a lot of work in the background... so the trust is quite high there from the players,” Hazlewood told cricket.com.au.

“But there’d certainly be some concerns from the players and I wouldn’t be surprised if some of them don’t make the tour.

“And that’s very fair. People will discuss it with their families... and come up with an answer and everyone respects that.”

Hazlewood, 31, part of a 16-man Australian squad for the five-match T20 home series against Sri Lanka starting on February 11, is raring to go after missing all but the first Test in the recent Ashes series.

Sidelined by a side strain after the first Test against England in Brisbane, he was forced to watch on as his teammates celebrated a 4-0 series shellacking.

Zero sense in ECB withdrawal: Alex Hales

English batter Alex Hales said the England and Wales Cricket Board (ECB)’s decision to pull out of the Pakistan tour last year made “zero sense” to him. Hales, who is playing for Islamabad United in the Pakistan Super League, did not agree with ECB’s move to withdraw weeks before the tour scheduled for October last year, citing security concerns.

“That decision to cancel that tour made absolutely no sense,” Hales, a white ball specialist, told Geo TV. “Especially after Pakistan came to England during Covid and helped out the ECB massively. So for them to cancel that tour made absolutely zero sense to me.”

Now in his fifth season at the Pakistan league, 33-year-old Hales has more experience of playing in Pakistan than most English cricketers.

“It’s a great place to come and play cricket,” he said. (PTI)