Australia win toss, bat against Pakistan

SHARJAH: Australia captain George Bailey won the toss and elected to bat against Pakistan in the first day-night One-day International here at the Sharjah Cricket Stadium on Tuesday.

Pakistan decided to give debut to left-arm spinner Zulfiqar Babar to shoulder the spin attack in the absence of Saeed Ajmal, who was suspended for an illegal bowling action last month and is not on the tour.

At 35 years and 301 days, Babar is the second oldest Pakistani to debut behind Younis Ahmed, who played his first ODI at 39 years and 121 days in 1987.

Australia handed a one-day debut to Sean Abbott after the 22-year-old paceman impressed in his team´s six-wicket win in the only Twenty20 match in Dubai on Sunday.

Spearhead Mitchell Johnson also returned in the team after recovering from a rib injury.

The remaining one-day internationals will be played in Dubai on October 10 and in Abu Dhabi on October 12. The three-match ODI series will be followed by a series of two Tests matches.

Captain Misbah-ul-Haq is playing his 150th One-day International and it is strange that he never made a century in this format cricket.

Teams:
Australia: Aaron Finch, David Warner, Steven Smith, Glenn Maxwell, George Bailey (captain), Brad Haddin, James Faulkner, Sean Abbott, Mitchell Johnson, Kane Richardson, Nathan Lyon.

Pakistan: Ahmed Shehzad, Asad Shafiq, Misbah-ul-Haq (captain), Umar Akmal, Fawad Alam, Sarfraz Ahmed (wk), Shahid Afridi, Anwar Ali, Wahab Riaz, Zulfiqar Babar, Mohammad Irfan.



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