Buoyant Pakistan team to face rampant Aussie side at home

In international cricket, the Australian cricket team is currently touring Pakistan for a Test, ODI, and T20I series. The series consists of 3 Tests, 3 ODIs, and a T20I match. The three-match Test series between the two teams is going to commence tomorrow. The first match will be played at the Rawalpindi Cricket Stadium in Rawalpindi. The second match will be played on March 12 at the National Stadium in Karachi and the last Test will be played on March 21 at the Gaddafi Stadium in Lahore.

Since 1956, Pakistan and Australia have met in a total of 66 Test matches. Australia has won 33 of them and Pakistan has won 15 times. Besides, 18 matches have been drawn. The last time Pakistan was whitewashed by the Aussies was in November 2019 in a two-match Test series.

Pakistan played their last Test series against host Bangladesh. The Men in Green whitewashed the Tigers in a two-match Test series then. On the other hand, Australia won their last Test series (The Ashes) against visiting England., where they played 5 matches and won the series by a margin of 4-0.

And, out of the last 5 Test series, Pakistan has won 3 series, lost 1 series, and drawn 1 series. Pakistan’s three winning series were against Zimbabwe, Bangladesh, and South Africa. Australia, on the other hand, has won 3, lost 2, and drawn 1 of the last 5 Test series. The three series they won were against Pakistan, New Zealand, and England.

The Australian cricket team is now in great form after winning The Ashes and the T20 World Cup. Meanwhile, due to the recent performances, the players of the Pakistan team have also an abundance of confidence. Moreover, this time Men in Green are going to play on home soil. They will try their heart and soul to play well and clinch the series.

Pakistan is ranked 6th and Australia tops the ICC Test rankings. So Pakistan will have to work hard in this series to build a stronger position in the rankings.

Test Squad:

Pakistan – Babar Azam (c), Mohammad Nawaz, Mohammad Rizwan (vc/wk), Abdullah Shafique, Faheem Ashraf, Azhar Ali, Fawad Alam, Hasan Ali, Haris Rauf, Imam-ul-Haq, Sajid Ali, Saud Shakeel, Nauman Ali, Shaheen Shah Afridi, Zahid Mahmood, Shan Masood.

Australia – Pat Cummins (c), Steven Smith (vc), Alex Carey (wk), Josh Inglis (wk), Travis Head, Mitchell Swepson, Mitchell Marsh, Michael Neser, Usman Khawaja, Ashton Agar, Scott Boland, Josh Hazlewood, Mitchell Starc, Nathan Lyon, Cameron Green, Marnus Labuschagne, David Warner, Marcus Harris.

Test match schedule for Pakistan and Australia:
1st Test – 04-08 March, Rawalpindi Cricket Stadium (Rawalpindi), 11:00 (GMT +6)
2nd Test – 12-16 March, National Stadium (Karachi), 11:00 (GMT +6)
3rd Test – 21-25 March, Gaddafi Stadium (Lahore), 11:00 (GMT +6)