England embark on one of the biggest challenges for any Test nation tomorrow when they travel to Pakistan for their first tour in 13 years.

After his success this summer against Zimbabwe and West Indies, captain Nasser Hussain faces an altogether different prospect when he sends his troops out to do battle against one of the strongest sides in the world in front of a partisan crowd.

England have only ever won one Test match in Pakistan – their first visit there in 1961 brought their only success – and with the differences in culture, pitches and conditions, Hussain is under no illusions that the road to a second victory is set to be a long and arduous one.

"This side hasn't toured Asia and we're going out there with a completely open mind," he said.

"We're looking forward to being in a part of the world where cricket is hugely important and is part of the culture.

"We want to go out there and learn more about the game. I've always been told that the more different conditions you can play in, the better player you become.

"This team are going out there to continue the work we did this summer and try and win Test matches, looking like a side who worked hard for each other.''

Five weeks into the tour, England will land in Faisalabad where one of the famous incidents in world cricket took place in 1987 between England captain Mike Gatting and umpire Shakoor Rana.

It was an unhappy clash but Hussain is anxious to leave the past where it belongs.

``All the other stuff happened the last time England were out there and will be of great interest to other people but we're going out there to enjoy it,'' he stressed.

``We are under-dogs for this tour. Pakistan are one of the great Test nations in the world, they are playing at home and we haven't played in Asia for a long time.

``It's like an amateur golfer playing at St Andrews for the first time. It will be very difficult for us and we have to go out there and adapt learn to play in the conditions.''

England arrive in Karachi tomorrow and will spend the next three days practising before a day-night warm up match at the National Stadium. The rest of the Test touring party - Michael Atherton, Michael Vaughan, Ian Salisbury, Dominic Cork and Paul Nixon - fly out to join them next Sunday

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