Nielsen happy with security measures

Tim Nielsen, the Australia coach, has said that his team had met security officials after arriving in Dubai and was happy with the measures that had been put in place for the five-ODI series against Pakistan in Dubai and Abu Dhabi starting on April 22.

"We have been looked after well," Nielsen said. "After arriving we had a good chat with the security guys who took us through the expectations of the group and how we should carry ourselves around Dubai. It's fantastic."

Zakir Khan, the Pakistan board's director of cricket operations said that "extensive security arrangements" had been made for match days. "Australia had requested specific things, which we provided, and a security plan was prepared and, after agreement between the two countries, we have implemented it for a safe series," Khan told AFP.

Wednesday's match will be the first time Australia are playing Pakistan in an ODI since February 2005. Australia had refused to tour Pakistan because of concerns over security, forcing the series to be shifted to a neutral location. The ICC had also removed Pakistan from the list of hosts for the 2011 World Cup after the terror attack on the Sri Lankan team in Lahore on March 3.

"Now we are playing on different grounds due to circumstances out of our control, but I think the people in Pakistan and Australia will see us play cricket together, which wouldn't have happened otherwise," Nielsen said. "The real positive is that we got Pakistan back into international cricket.

"It's fantastic to actually play against Pakistan players who are world class performers and, if nothing else, take some TV pictures back to young Pakistani players and let them see their heroes play against us. I think it will help."