Adapting to Pakistan conditions will be exceptional challenge for Australia: Watson

Melbourne [Australia], February 28 : Former Australia allrounder Shane Watson has predicted a thrilling series as his old side returned to Pakistan to play a multi-format series in March.
Australia has travelled to the south Asian country for the first time since 1998 to play a three-match Test series and Watson is expecting an action-packed encounter with valuable ICC World Test Championship points up for grabs.
"I am super excited as I know how much the Pakistan people have been starved of cricket. They are so cricket obsessed and love nothing more than watching Pakistan play and especially live cricket at home," Watson said on an episode of The ICC Review.
"I was fortunate to play a few Pakistan Super League's over there and it was one of the most amazing experiences I have had in my life. It is brilliant that Cricket Australia have gone to great lengths to make sure they have got all the information they need to make sure the players' minds are at ease around the security side of things, so it is going to be a brilliant series," he added.
Australia have named an 18-player squad for the series, with untried quick Mark Steketee drafted into the squad to replace the injured Michael Neser and uncapped paceman Brendan Doggett remains on standby should any further injury occur.
The Australians have also included three spinners in their touring party, with leg-spinner Mitchell Swepson and left-armer Ashton Agar making the trip to support experienced off-spinner Nathan Lyon.
But Watson has warned Australia against fiddling too much with their already potent bowling attack as he doesn't expect the pitches in Pakistan to offer too much to either bowling line-up.
"From my experience playing the Pakistan Super League, the (pitches in Pakistan) are great batting wickets," Watson noted.
"The ball doesn't really turn a lot and certainly not as much as it did when Pakistan played in Dubai and Abu Dhabi.
"I think it is going to be an exceptional challenge for the Australian team to try and adapt to the Pakistan conditions when they haven't been there for so long and how they will try to develop their game plan.
"But for world cricket, it is going to be great to get a big tour back to Pakistan and I know Pakistan people are so excited and the fans will be coming out in their droves to watch."
But despite having allegiances to both camps, Watson is remaining loyal to his country of birth when asked to pick who will prevail in the series.
"I would be surprised if Australia don't get up, just knowing the Australian bowlers and how well they bowled (against England) during the Ashes," he said.
"It was relentless fast bowling across the board and everyone really complemented each other really well and Pakistan are going to need to bat out of their skins just to stay in the game.
"My gut is telling me Australia will win the series if they score enough runs, as I believe their bowlers will be good enough to put the Pakistan batters under a lot of pressure."
The first of three WTC Tests commences in Rawalpindi on March 4, with three ODIs and one T20I to follow.