Today marks a significant occasion in the history of Austrian cricket, as Pakistan has arrived in Australia for the first time since 2017 to play a series of three One Day Internationals (ODIs). In the first ODI at the Melbourne Cricket Ground, Australia chose to bowl first based on the conditions.
Pakistan gave ODI debuts to opening batter Saim Ayub and middle-order batter Irfan Khan. Former cricketer Wasim Akram presented the duo with their new Pakistan caps, both of whom are known for their exciting cricketing abilities and have extensive experience in domestic cricket. Ayub and Abdullah Shafique will form a new opening pair for the Pakistan ODI team, despite having a lackluster record as a Test opening duo. Babar Azam is batting at No. 3 after receiving a rest. Captain Rizwan, known for his strong batting performances, will occupy the No. 5 position, continuing his excellent form across all formats of the game. Shaheen Shah and Naseem Shah are back in the squad to exploit the bouncy nature of the pitch.
Australia’s fast bowlers will look to make early breakthroughs, with Mitchell Starc coming off a recent performance of seven wickets in a Sheffield Shield match at the MCG just two weeks ago. Josh Hazlewood is currently not playing as he is participating in the Sheffield Shield, but he will join the squad for the second ODI in Adelaide. It is anticipated that Matthew Short and Jake Fraser will open the batting for Australia. Travis Head and Mitchell Marsh are unavailable due to paternity leave. Josh Inglis has settled into the No. 3 position, aiming to gain momentum from the start, while legendary cricketer Steve Smith will bat at No. 4, providing a significant confidence boost to the team. Marnus Labuschagne will remain at No. 5, and Aaron Hardie is listed at No. 6, ahead of Glenn Maxwell.
This marks Pakistan’s first ODI since the 2023 ODI World Cup. Jason Gillespie is serving as the interim coach after Gary Kirsten resigned as the white-ball coach just before this tour.
