Pakistan and Australia take on each other in a full five ODI series to be played in the United Arab Emirates (Sharjah, Abu Dhabi and Dubai).
Both sides have had an excellent cricket month so far, with Pakistan have a great local Pakistan Super League and Australia winning the one day series in India.
Australia – back to strength?
Australia won a historic win against India at their home ground. The Aussie beat the Indian team 3 – 2 in the ODI series.
Opening batsman Usman Khawaja’s brilliant performance with the bat including two-centuries and two half-centuries helped the away team win the tournament.
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The Duo
Aussie cricketers Steve Smith and David Warner have met the squad in Dubai but will not be the part of the team playing the five internationals.
Questions were raised as to how the players will be able to ‘gel in’ with the current squad for the upcoming World Cup.
The bans on both the players will end just in time for the Aussies to play the last two games of the series. However, both Steve and David have undergone surgery and are recovering.
Pakistan playing a ‘B’ squad?
Pakistan Men’s Cricket team will be led by all-rounder Shoaib Malik as Sarfraz Ahmed has been given rest for the upcoming World Cup.
Several other players including Fakhar, Zaman Hasan Ali, Shadab Khan, Babar Azam, and Shaheen Shah Afridi, all of them played in the recent series against South Africa. Pakistan lost the rest 3 - 2.
Pakistan’s Cricket Chief Selector, Inzimam Ul Haq said the changes have been made taking into consideration the player workload in the build up to the World Cup.
"I am pleased that we have been able to develop a strong bench strength that has helped us to make eight changes from the previous series.
"This is a good sign for Pakistan cricket as we now have a big pool of players who have the capability, talent and potential, and are raring to step up and seize the opportunity when thrown at the deep end."
Batsman Umar Akmal has been included in the squad with the hope of return performance.
New Kid on the block - Mohammad Hasnain
The bowler who created havoc during the Pakistan Super League, Mohammad Hasnain is now part of the ODI squad.
The young speedster consistently clocked 145 km/hr during the league and even crossed 150 km/hr.
Pakistan: Shoaib Malik (captain), Abid Ali, Imad Wasim, Imam-ul-Haq, Junaid Khan, Faheem Ashraf, Haris Sohail, Mohammad Abbas, Umar Akmal, Usman Shinwari, Yasir Shah, Mohammad Amir, Mohammad Hasnain, Mohammad Rizwan, Saad Ali, and Shan Masood.
Cricket series - 5 ODI
