Remembering Australia's last Test tour to Pakistan in 1998

Australia's 24-year hiatus from touring Pakistan is set to come to an end next week as the two teams embark on a three-Test series.

Despite several attempts, security concerns have routinely denied Australia the opportunity to play in Pakistan since 1998.

That series in 1998 is most well-known for then-Australian captain Mark Taylor's mammoth knock of 334*, which equalled the highest individual score for an Australian batter. It is now the 11th highest individual score in history. Taylor also became the highest run-scorer on the tour, amassing 513 runs across the series.

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Australia walked away with a 1-0 series victory the last time they toured Pakistan

The first Test resulted in a win for Australia, before the two sides played out two draws.

Pakistan batted first in the first Test and were bowled out for 269 before centuries from Michael Slater, Steve Waugh and a 98 from Darren Lehmann pushed the Australian batting total to 513.

Stuart MacGill's figures of 66/5 (first innings) and 47/4 (second innings) were too good throughout the match, causing Pakistan to crumble in the second innings for 143 and register a victory for Australia - by an innings and 99 runs.

Stuart MacGill's tally of 15 wickets led the pack as the highest wicket-taker in the series, closely followed by Glenn McGrath's 12.

The second Test was a run-fest and eventually ended in an insatiable draw. Australia batted first and made 599/4d before Pakistan's 580/9d and Australia's second innings of 289/5.

Four centuries were scored in the match: Mark Taylor (334*), Justin Langer (116), Saeed Anwar (126) and Ijaz Ahmed (155).

Ricky Ponting was still in the infancy of his career, playing in the second Test and scoring a solid 76* in the first innings.

While the third Test also ended in a draw, all results were in play during the latter stages of the match. Pakistan were set a target of 419, but fell short of the run target, with Australia taking five wickets for 262 in the last innings.

Australia's first innings total of 280 was spearheaded by a solid 96 from Michael Slater, and they led by just 28 runs in the first innings. Pakistan battled their way to a total of 252 as Glenn McGrath's five-for put Australia ahead of the game.

Eventually, a strong third innings effort of 390 from Australia, led by a Mark Waugh century, set Pakistan a target in excess of 400 for victory. The third Test ended in a much more respectable draw, but nonetheless handed Australia a series victory.

Full Australian squad: Mark Taylor, Justin Langer, Mark Waugh, Michael Slater, Steve Waugh, Darren Lehmann, Damien Fleming, Colin Miller, Stuart MacGill, Ian Healy, Glenn McGrath, Gavin Robertson, Ricky Ponting.

Next week, Australia will help put an end to Pakistan's rocky perception in world cricket by being the first of the 'big three' to tour the country since the reinstatement as a host nation. Through bilateral relations, cricket has rescinded so many socio-cultural boundaries over the years, and another big opportunity awaits Cricket Australia.