Melbourne: With their eyes set on the ICC Champions Trophy next year, Pakistan will begin their ODI series against Australia in their backyard under new captain Mohammad Rizwan.
Appointed as the new white-ball skipper, Rizwan said that he hoped to find the right combination for the ICC tournament next year with a number of ODI series scheduled for the team ahead of it.
“We are scheduled to play a good number of ODIs before the next year’s ICC Champions Trophy back in Pakistan," Rizwan said in a statement released by PCB.
"The forthcoming series beginning with Australia, then Zimbabwe, South Africa and the home tri-nation tournament will help us assemble a right combination going into the mega event."
Pakistan are the defending champions of the Champions Trophy having won the last edition in 2017 by beating India in the final.
With the recent reset, Pakistan are aiming to find their right combination ahead of the tournament. Pakistan have also announced their playing XI for the first ODI, with Muhammad Irfan Khan and Saim Ayub making their debut.
Pakistan XI for first ODI: Abdullah Shafique, Saim Ayub, Babar Azam, Mohammad Rizwan (captain/wicket-keeper), Kamran Ghulam, Salman Ali Agha (vice-captain), Muhammad Irfan Khan, Shaheen Shah Afridi, Naseem Shah, Haris Rauf and Mohammad Hasnain.
Meanwhile, the Men's Cricket World Cup defending champions Australia have also named their playing XI for the first ODI with a new opening pair at the top in Matt Short and Jake Fraser-McGurk.
The duo are in direct competition for the role of Travis Head's opening partner in the Champions Trophy next year.
Skipper Pat Cummins has given them the license to go for their shots like they do in T20s.
"Both of them in T20 and one-dayers have been pretty scary to bowl at so that's our message to them," he said ahead of the ODI. "My preference would be they give it a good crack for sure."
Australia XI for first ODI: Matt Short, Jake Fraser-McGurk, Steve Smith, Josh Inglis (wk), Marnus Labuschagne, Aaron Hardie, Glenn Maxwell, Sean Abbott, Pat Cummins (c), Mitchell Starc, Adam Zampa.
