Australia’s Predicted Playing XI for 1st T20I vs Pakistan: Sportsrush presents before you Australia’s playing XI for the first T20I.

In which will be the second bout of Australia and Pakistan taking on each other in T20Is this year, both the teams will face each other in the second leg of Australia’s tour of UAE 2018.

Played almost around 10,000 km far from Abu Dhabi, the final of Zimbabwe T20I Tri-Series was won by Pakistan as they chased down 184 on the back of opening batsman Fakhar Zaman’s 91 (46) in the last over.

With the first of the three T20Is slated to be held tomorrow, the Australians would be looking to make a positive start as winning the T20I series would draw level the tour for them.

Notwithstanding the contrasting conditions, Australia would be looking to prepare for their home summer through this series. Moreover, the series is a chance for some of their players to press a case for ODI selection in Australia’s unsettled squad.

Australia’s Predicted Playing XI for the first T20I:

1. Top-order – In D’Arcy Short and captain Aaron Finch, Australia have an archetype hard-hitting opening duo. Given Short’s calibre and Finch’s experience of playing all round the globe, one expects this pair to come good in testing conditions tomorrow.

Short’s unbeaten 68* (53) against UAE yesterday might just be the start he would have wanted to gain confidence ahead of the series against Pakistan. Playing only his second match outside of the Trans-Tasman region, with Chris Lynn coming in to bat at No. 3, Australia will have necessary firepower at the top of the order.

2. Middle-order – Out of Glenn Maxwell’s 44 T20I innings for Australia, the most have come at No. 4, a position where he is highly likely to bat tomorrow. At No. 4, Maxwell has scored 507 runs at an average of 36.21 and a strike rate of 160.44. Barring opening the batting (211 runs in two innings), No. 4 is the best where Maxwell bats at.

Australia had handed a debut to Ben McDermott yesterday. With Mitchell Marsh in the squad, he might get a go ahead of McDermott for the team management would be looking to play an extra bowling option against a much stronger Pakistan batting line-up.

Performing their dual roles, wicket-keeper batsman Alex Carey and all-rounder Ashton Agar will bat at No. 6 and 7 respectively.

3. Bowlers – Australia are highly likely to field the bowling attack which restricted UAE to 177-6 in 20 overs yesterday. The fast bowling trio of Nathan Coulter-Nile, Billy Stanlake and Andrew Tye have it in them to possess a threat against Pakistan.

That being said, one can’t underestimate the spinners’ role. In Adam Zampa, Agar and Short, Finch would be looking to use his spin-bowling options in the best manner possible.

The team management would have hoped of playing Mitchell Starc in T20Is, but fitness concerns have resulted of otherwise. Peter Siddle, who was retained from the Test squad as a cover for Starc, played the second of his two T20Is way back in 2010. Him being included for the first T20I seems to be a distant possibility.

Australia’s Predicted Playing XI: D’Arcy Short, Aaron Finch (c), Chris Lynn, Glenn Maxwell, Mitchell Marsh, Alex Carey (wk), Ashton Agar, Nathan Coulter-Nile, Andrew Tye, Adam Zampa and Billy Stanlake.

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