Pakistan has announced its Playing XI for the opening One Day International (ODI) of the three-match series against Australia, scheduled at Rawalpindi Cricket Stadium on Saturday. The Pakistan Cricket Board confirmed the lineup shortly before the toss, highlighting the inclusion of all-rounder Arafat Minhas, who will make his ODI debut.
In a notable change, young wicketkeeper Muhammad Ghazi Ghori, who previously debuted against Bangladesh as a specialist batsman, will don the gloves in place of Mohammad Rizwan, who has been dropped from the ODI squad.
The Pakistan team for the match includes captain Shaheen Shah Afridi, vice-captain Salman Ali Agha, Sahibzada Farhan, Maaz Sadaqat, Babar Azam, Muhammad Ghazi Ghori (wicketkeeper), Abdul Samad, Arafat Minhas, Shadab Khan, Haris Rauf, and Abrar Ahmed.
Australia’s squad for the series features Alex Carey, Nathan Ellis, Cameron Green, captain Josh Inglis, Matthew Kuhnemann, Marnus Labuschagne, Riley Meredith, Ollie Peake, Matthew Renshaw, Tanveer Sangha, Liam Scott, Matt Short, Billy Stanlake, Cooper Connolly, and Adam Zampa.
Ahead of the series, Pakistan captain Shaheen Shah Afridi expressed confidence in his team’s preparation for the challenge posed by Australia. He acknowledged Australia as one of the strongest teams globally and emphasized the competitive nature of matches against them.
Afridi stated that the squad had put in significant effort during their training camp and was focused on achieving positive outcomes. He stressed that every player in the team has a vital role to fulfill in the series.
Addressing concerns about the pace of Pakistan’s fast bowlers, Afridi attributed any decline to the demanding international cricket schedule and the physical strain of continuous play. He highlighted the necessity for adequate recovery and workload management to maintain peak performance.
Comparing fast bowlers to machines, Afridi noted that they require regular maintenance to sustain their efficiency, intensity, and overall effectiveness on the field.
