Australia are without their first-choice pace attack. There’s no Pat Cummins, Josh Hazlewood or Mitchell Starc. Marcus Stoinis, surprisingly, retired instead of playing this tournament and Mitchell Marsh is injured. Apart from that they’re tickety-boo.
Concerns, then, about how they go with the ball are justified. Spinner Adam Zampa is the attack leader while he is joined by those who haven’t quite made it and one hoping to. Sean Abbott and Nathan Ellis in the former and Spencer Johnson in the latter.
Much could depend on Travis Head. The beating heart of the side, his tenacity and fight sets the tone. Steve Smith will lead. They could pick two from batters Frasrer-McGurk, Inglis, Short and Labuschagne.
Probable XI: Head, Fraser-McGurk/Short/Inglis, Smith, Labuschagne, Maxwell, Carey, Hardie, Abbott, Ellis, Zampa, Johnson,
England are in dreadful form in ODI and are hoping that a new country and new tournament will give them some confidence. Their appraoch seems to be pretty basic: whack it and use loads of fast bowlers. They are probably the most criticised team in the world but it is fair to wonder wheretheir left-arm pace option is.
One bonus is having Joe Root back in the team in case they get stuck on a turner. Harry Brook also has an excellent record for runs in Pakistan. Jamie Smith has pipped Tom Banton for the last batting slot. It’s a slight surprise that he will bat at No 3.
Named XI: Salt, Duckett, Root, Brook, Banton, Buttler, Livingstone, Carse, Archer, Rashid, Wood
Pitch report-The Lahore surface is one to bat first on on four-year data. In four of the last seven the side batting first has posted at least 313. Three went on to win. Sri Lanka also defended 291 against Afghanistan. Australia failed to defend 348 against Pakistan in 2022 interestingly.
In the tri-series that preceded this tournament, New Zealand rattled their way to 330 and bowled out Pakistan for 252. The run rate in dig one is 6.10, dropping to 5.86 in the second.
England come into the tournament with the worst economy rating in the last two years. And with Australian batting still looking pretty strong
Match prediction -The world champions at least have methods and plans in place whereas England appear scatty and unreliable.
Indeed, they have lost seven from their last 11 chases. That highlights two things. That leaky bowling again plus the lack of calm, rational approach under pressure.
For a kick-off, we’d be keen to get with Australia at the break in what may look like a stiff chase. The odds could well be flipped if England knuckle down and put that inexperienced bowling line-up under pressure.
If the Aussies bat first, more than 300 is very much on as we stated. England may not fare so well batting second because of their nemesis Zampa, who enjoys tieing them down and squeezing the life out of them.
Chaser are the winner š