Pakistan Stick to Their Guns for Second ODI Against Australia

Pakistan aims for redemption in the second ODI against Australia in Adelaide by retaining their playing XI. Despite talks of changes, the team sticks with the same lineup that featured four pacers, hoping for a better outcome. Key players, including Babar Azam, face pressure to perform.

In the upcoming second One-Day International against Australia, Pakistan is expected to field an unchanged team. This decision follows discussions around introducing newcomer Faisal Akram, a left-arm wrist spinner, whose playtime is affected by a pitch favoring pace bowlers.

The source inside the team shared that Pakistan would maintain the same eleven players who narrowly lost the first match in Melbourne by two wickets. The lineup includes pace bowlers Shaheen Shah Afridi, Haris Rauf, Muhammad Hasnain, and Naseem Shah, who is fit to play after a minor injury in the initial game.

Part-time spinners Agha Salman, Saim Ayub, and Kamran Ghulam remain in the squad, though they were not in action during the opening ODI. With openers Abdullah Shafique and Saim Ayub starting again, star batter Babar Azam aims to recover from his current poor form. Despite the potential introduction of all-rounder Aamer Jamal, the team's management, led by interim head coach Jason Gillispie, opted against dropping Hasnain after just one match.

(With inputs from agencies.)