LAHORE: Pakistan captain Shaheen Shah Afridi won the toss and elected to bowl first against Australia in the second ODI of the three-match series at Gaddafi Stadium on Tuesday.
Pakistan entered the match with confidence after securing victory in the opening ODI, taking a 1-0 lead in the series. The hosts will be aiming to claim another win and seal the series on home soil, while Australia will look to bounce back and force a decider.
Pakistan retained a balanced combination featuring Sahibzada Farhan, Maaz Sadaqat, Babar Azam, wicketkeeper Muhammad Ghazi Ghori, Salman Ali Agha, Abdul Samad, Shadab Khan, Arafat Minhas, Shaheen Shah Afridi, Haris Rauf and Abrar Ahmed.
Australia’s playing XI includes Matt Short, Alex Carey, captain Josh Inglis, Marnus Labuschagne, Cameron Green, Matt Renshaw, Ollie Peake, Nathan Ellis, Tanveer Sangha, Adam Zampa and Matt Kuhnemann.
Historically, Australia have dominated the ODI rivalry between the two sides. In 112 ODI meetings, the six-time world champions have won 71 matches, while Pakistan have registered 37 victories. Three matches ended without a result and one was tied.
However, Pakistan will draw confidence from their recent success against Australia. The Green Shirts won their last ODI series against the Baggy Greens 2-1 in November 2024, securing their first-ever ODI series triumph in Australia.
With the series on the line, both teams will be eager to deliver a strong performance in Lahore.
