Pakistan vs. Australia: Second ODI preview

Pakistan vs. Australia: Second ODI preview

Pakistan and Australia are ready to face off in the second One-Day International (ODI) of the five-match series in Sharjah, United Arab Emirates on Sunday.

The visitors are leading the series 1-0 with a thumping eight-wicket win in the first ODI at the same venue on Friday.

Therefore, Aaron Finch-led unit will go in the contest as favorites as they will be looking to strengthen their position with another positive result in the next match.

Kangaroos will be relying on the likes of in-form captain Finch, his opening partner Usman Khawaja and veteran left-hander Shaun Marsh to score bulk of the runs in the batting department, whereas on the bowling front, the onus will be on the likes of pacers Nathan Coulter-Nile, Jhye Richardson and spin-duo of Adam Zampa and Nathan Lyon to provide timely breakthroughs.

On the other hand, Pakistan will enter the contest clearly under pressure as the home team will be eager to bounce back after a horrendous show in the series opener.

In the batting department, the Men in Green will be relying on the likes of in-form Haris Sohail, opener Imam-Ul-Haq, middle-order batsman Umar Akmal and captian Shoaib Malik to score bulk of the runs, whereas on the bowling front, the onus will be on the spin-duo of Imad Wasim and Yasir Shah to dismantle the opposition's batting lineup – something they failed to do in the first ODI.

There is one change expected on Sunday in the home side's playing eleven

Pakistan and Australia are ready to face off in the second One-Day International (ODI) of the five-match series in Sharjah, United Arab Emirates on Sunday.

The visitors are leading the series 1-0 with a thumping eight-wicket win in the first ODI at the same venue on Friday.

Therefore, Aaron Finch-led unit will go in the contest as favorites as they will be looking to strengthen their position with another positive result in the next match.

Kangaroos will be relying on the likes of in-form captain Finch, his opening partner Usman Khawaja and veteran left-hander Shaun Marsh to score bulk of the runs in the batting department, whereas on the bowling front, the onus will be on the likes of pacers Nathan Coulter-Nile, Jhye Richardson and spin-duo of Adam Zampa and Nathan Lyon to provide timely breakthroughs.

On the other hand, Pakistan will enter the contest clearly under pressure as the home team will be eager to bounce back after a horrendous show in the series opener.

In the batting department, the Men in Green will be relying on the likes of in-form Haris Sohail, opener Imam-Ul-Haq, middle-order batsman Umar Akmal and captian Shoaib Malik to score bulk of the runs, whereas on the bowling front, the onus will be on the spin-duo of Imad Wasim and Yasir Shah to dismantle the opposition's batting lineup – something they failed to do in the first ODI.

There is one change expected on Sunday in the home side's playing eleven as pacer Mohammad Amir, who had another horrid show in the series opener, might be replaced by either Usman khan Shinwari or young Mohammad Hasnain.

Optimal Lineup

Player Recommendations

Aaron Finch – 9.5 Cr

First in the list of key players features Australia captain Aaron Finch. The right-hander is one of the most explosive player in the white-ball cricket and showed his talent in the series opener where he guided his team home for a comfortable eight-wicket triumph by scoring fabulous 110 runs. That innings was a reminder of what Finch is capable of and therefore, he is definitely the player to have in your team. The 32-year-old has represented Australia in 105 ODIs, where he has scored 3,717 runs at an average of 37.17 with 12 centuries and 19 fifties.

Haris Sohail – 9 Cr

Second in the list of key players features Pakistan's Haris Sohail. The left-hander is a highly skillful batsman but has been unlucky due to numerous injuries. However, in the series opener, Sohail showed his talent by scoring a breathtaking century, which was his first in the 50-over format. Even though Sohail ended on the losing side but he showed what he is capable of and therefore, he might not be a bad pick for your team for the match on Sunday.

Shoaib Malik – 10.5 Cr

Last in the list of key players features Pakistan's Shoaib Malik. The veteran all-rounder is the only player from the 90's era who is still playing international cricket and has ample amount of experience of playing at the highest level. In the series opener, Malik failed to inspire the team and faced criticism as well. Therefore, it will be interesting to see how he will respond and looking at his fabulous record at the venue, the 37-year-old might not prove to be a bad pick for your team.  

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ABOUT THE AUTHOR
Azeem Siddiqui
Passionate sports follower in the field of sports journalism for more than five years. Loves writing about cricket, football, and tennis.
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