FRI: AUS V PAK; SAT: AUS V PAK; SUN: AUS V PAK

Australia and Pakistan are scheduled to take on each other in 50-over contests thrice in the next 3 days. On Friday and Sunday, in Perth, the senior teams will fight what has been an extremely one-sided battle so far. On Saturday, the U-19 teams of the two countries will have their title clash in Lincoln, New Zealand. With the final matches of Australian Open 2010 Tennis tournament and 9 matches of Barclays Premier League (including a mouth-watering Arsenal v Manchester United clash) also scheduled over the next three days, sport lovers will have to plan out their schedule carefully to include some sleep in their agenda.

Out of the three Aus-Pak clashes, I am almost certain, just as many of you, that the juniors will produce a more watchable contest than the seniors, where the visitors haven't tasted victory on the entire tour yet. If Australia's senior team could swap places with their junior team for the weekend, who knows, they might end up winning all the three games! There is no better way of describing Pakistan's performance in this Australian summer.

They have squandered their chances and not looked formidable at all (except for one day during the Second Test). Controversies have engulfed them as usual - some generated by third parties like IPL, and some created by their own Board (captaincy issues). It seems that lack of cricket over the past one year has not had any effect on the way cricket in Pakistan functions.

With the series in Australia already lost, Pakistan should send Umar Akmal and Mohammed Aamer to New Zealand to join their junior squad (both are in their teens). Atleast, they can increase their chances of winning the U-19 Champions title. That's the least they can do for their fans in Pakistan.