Pakistan banks on batting depth and pace for ODI series opener against Australia

Pakistan and Australia have revealed their lineups for the opening ODI of their three-match series, which will take place at Melbourne Cricket Ground (MCG) on Monday, November 4. The series continues with matches at Adelaide Oval on November 8 and Perth Stadium on November 10.

Australia enters the series after securing a 3-2 victory against England in their recent ODI series in the United Kingdom (UK). In contrast, Pakistan has not played any 50-over matches since the World Cup in India last year.

Australia’s captain, Pat Cummins, returns to ODI cricket for the first time since leading his team to victory in last year’s World Cup final in Ahmedabad. Pakistan, on the other hand, begins this series under the new leadership of Mohammad Rizwan as their white-ball captain.

Pitch

The pitch in Melbourne, used for a recent Sheffield Shield match, showed good assistance for fast bowlers and conditions are still early-season. The weather forecast predicts a cool, cloudy day, but it is expected to remain dry.

Pakistan’s approach

Hence, Pakistan has chosen to field a pace-heavy lineup featuring Shaheen Afridi, Naseem Shah, Haris Rauf, and Mohammad Hasnain. This will be Hasnain’s first international game since early 2023, following his suspension in 2022 for an illegal bowling action. Hasnain, however, is in excellent form after leading as the top wicket-taker in the Champions Cup with 17 wickets.

Pakistan has opted against including a specialist spinner, relying instead on Salman Ali Agha, Saim Ayub, and Kamran Ghulam as spin-bowling all-rounders.

This series is crucial for Pakistan as it marks the beginning of their build-up to the 2025 Champions Trophy, which they will host.

With Fakhar Zaman absent, Saim Ayub will make his ODI debut, opening alongside Abdullah Shafique.

“Fakhar and Imam ul Haq provided us strong starts previously, but it’s essential to give younger players a chance to prove themselves as we shape our squad for the Champions Trophy," Rizwan told media on Sunday in Melbourne.

Babar Azam returns to the squad at number three, alongside Shaheen Afridi and Naseem Shah, who were rested for the last two Tests against England.

Rizwan praised them, saying, “Babar, Shaheen, and Naseem have been performing well for several years, proving their status as superstars of Pakistan. They know how to overcome slumps; every player faces them.”

Kamran Ghulam is slated to bat at number five to strengthen Pakistan’s middle order. Apart from scoring a century on Test debut against England, he had a strong domestic season start with 250 runs in the Champions Cup at a strike rate of 96.

Irfan Khan Niazi, another debutant, will bat at number seven. Known for his aggressive batting, Irfan scored 155 runs in the Champions Cup with a strike rate of 116, including a rapid 56-ball century, adding potential firepower to Pakistan’s lower order, especially in Australian conditions.

Australia’s preparations

For the hosts, this series is a key part of their Champions Trophy build-up, with only one more ODI in Sri Lanka scheduled for February. They remain a largely settled side despite David Warner’s retirement post-World Cup.

Mitchell Marsh and Travis Head will miss the series due to paternity leave, and Cameron Green is sidelined by injury. Key pacers will participate at least partially as the management looks after their workload ahead of the India Tests.

Matt Short and Jake Fraser-McGurk have a chance to prove themselves as potential opening partners for Travis Head for the Champions Trophy. Fraser-McGurk, who debuted against the West Indies earlier this year, scored 41 runs in two innings but did not play against England. He is expected to feature in all three games against Pakistan.

Australia's Matt Short celebrates with teammates after taking the wicket of England's Jamie Smith.Reuters

Cummins and Mitchell Starc will play the first ODI, while Josh Hazlewood participates in the Sheffield Shield for New South Wales.

Cummins will also appear in the second ODI in Adelaide but is unlikely to travel to Perth for the final game. He supports the management’s approach to preserving Australia’s top bowlers for the upcoming India Test series.

Hazlewood and Cooper Connolly will join the squad in Adelaide after their current domestic commitments.

The ODI series serves as a modest opening to Australia’s international season, with their attention already turning to regaining the Border-Gavaskar Trophy. Nevertheless, Cummins emphasizes its value for Champions Trophy preparation.

“This series is a good start to the summer and an opportunity for young players to showcase their abilities. It also serves as preparation for the Champions Trophy,” Cummins said.

Playing XIs

Pakistan XI: Abdullah Shafique, Saim Ayub, Babar Azam, Mohammad Rizwan (c & wk), Kamran Ghulam, Salman Ali Agha, Mohammad Irfan Khan, Shaheen Shah Afridi, Naseem Shah, Haris Rauf, Mohammad Hasnain

Australia XI: Matthew Short, Jake Fraser-McGurk, Steve Smith, Josh Inglis (wk), Marnus Labuschagne, Glenn Maxwell, Aaron Hardie, Pat Cummins (c), Sean Abbott, Mitchell Starc, Adam Zampa