Australia win toss and bowls in first Pakistan T20

Australia win toss and bowls in first Pakistan T20
Pakistan's Muhammad Rizwan (R) takes a quick single without his bat off Australia's paceman Pat Cummins (L) during the Twenty20 cricket match between Australia and Pakistan at the Sydney Cricket Ground in Sydney on November 3, 2019. (AFP)
Updated 03 November 2019
Follow

Australia win toss and bowls in first Pakistan T20

Australia win toss and bowls in first Pakistan T20
  • Australia kept the same side that beat Sri Lanka by seven wickets on Friday
  • Pakistan can lose top spot if defeated by Australia

SYDNEY: Australia won the toss and chose to bowl in the first of three Twenty20s against top-ranked Pakistan in Sydney on Sunday.
Australia are in form and fresh from a 3-0 series sweep against Sri Lanka, in contrast to Pakistan who were embarrassed by a second-string Sri Lanka at home across three matches last month.
That debacle cost Sarfaraz Ahmed his job as captain and a place in the squad, while experienced campaigners Shoaib Malik and Mohammad Hafeez were also axed in the shorter format.
The world’s number one ranked T20 batsman Babar Azam is captaining the team as he tries to re-build for the World Cup next year.
Of note, 37-year-old seamer Mohammad Irfan features for the first time in more than three years.
Australia kept the same side that beat Sri Lanka by seven wickets on Friday.
“With a little bit of weather around we want to hopefully get some early wickets,” said skipper Aaron Finch, as the first raindrops of the day started to fall.
“They’ve got a really well-rounded side,” he added of Pakistan.
After Sydney, the series moves to Canberra on Tuesday before a final game in Perth before the sides face each other in two Tests.