File image of Pakistan Cricket Team.© AFP
Pakistan are likely to field an unchanged playing XI versus Australia in the second One-Day International in Adelaide on Friday. A source close to the team said there had been some discussion on handing debut to left-arm wrist spinner Faisal Akram but the pitch appeared to be more encouraging for pacers. “The likelihood is that Pakistan will field the same eleven that lost the first match by two wickets in Melbourne. The same combination of four pace bowlers, Shaheen Shah Afridi, Haris Rauf, Muhammad Hasnain and Naseem Shah, who has been cleared to play after a slight strain in the first match forced him off the field,” the source said.
He also said Pakistan would depend on their part-time spinners, Agha Salman, Saim Ayub and Kamran Ghulam, who were not called upon to bowl in the opening ODI, which Australia won with 17 overs to spare.
Openers Abdullah Shafique and Saim Ayub will get another chance to open the innings, with all eyes on star batter Babar Azam, who has been struggling for form. He was dismissed for 37 in Melbourne after a scratchy innings.
“There has been talk about trying out all-rounder Aamer Jamal in place of Mohammad Hasnain, but the team management, including interim head coach Jason Gillispie, feel it would be unfair to drop Hasnain after just one game as he was playing in an international after more than a year,” the source added.
Pakistan playing XI for 2nd ODI: Muhammad Rizwan (c & wk), Agha Salman (vc), Saim Ayub, Abdullah Shafique, Babar Azam, Irfan Khan Niazi, Kamran Ghulam, Shaheen Shah Afridi, Haris Rauf, Muhammad Hasnain and Naseem Shah.
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