AUS v PAK: Pakistan’s likely lineup for Perth Test
The Green Shirts are scheduled to play a three-match series in Australia
KARACHI: Pakistan will take on Australia in the first Test of a three-match series at Perth on December 14 and the team management has decided to hold a meeting on Tuesday to finalise the playing XI.
Off-spinner Sajid Khan, who was named as an injury replacement for mystery spinner Abrar Ahmed, will train with the team on Wednesday (December 13).
However, Noman Ali is likely to replace the injured Abrar, who has been ruled out of the first Test as a safety precaution.
Skipper Shan Masood will continue to play at number three while Babar Azam will bat a rank below his captain.
Pakistan will go with four pacers including all-rounder Faheem Ashraf, as a result, Salman Ali Agha is likely to sit on the bench.
Shaheen Afridi and Hasan Ali will be in the playing XI and with Faheem likely to play the Test as well, Pakistan will choose one of Mir Hamza, Khurram Shahzad, and Aamer Jamal to be the fourth pacer.
It must be noted that this is Pakistan’s first Test tour to Australia since 2019 when they were battered 2-0 as the visitors, under Azhar Ali’s captaincy, lost both games by an innings.
Pakistan have also never won a Test series in Australia in their entire history.
Australia tour schedule
1st Test – Australia vs Pakistan – December 14-18: Perth Stadium
2nd Test – Australia vs Pakistan – December 26-30: Melbourne Cricket Ground (MCG)
3rd Test – Australia vs Pakistan – January 3-7: Sydney Cricket Ground (SCG)
Squads
Australia: (first Test only): Pat Cummins (c), Scott Boland, Alex Carey, Cameron Green, Josh Hazlewood, Travis Head, Usman Khawaja, Marnus Labuschagne, Nathan Lyon, Mitch Marsh, Lance Morris, Steve Smith, Mitch Starc, David Warner
Pakistan: Shan Masood (c), Aamir Jamal, Abdullah Shafique, Abrar Ahmed, Babar Azam, Faheem Ashraf, Hasan Ali, Imam-ul-Haq, Khurram Shahzad, Mir Hamza, Mohammad Rizwan (wk), Mohammad Wasim Jnr, Noman Ali, Saim Ayub, Salman Ali Agha, Sarfaraz Ahmed (wk), Saud Shakeel and Shaheen Shah Afridi
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Hafiz Zafar Iqbal commented 5 months ago