A new chapter in Pakistan cricket is set to begin as Mohammad Rizwan prepares to make his debut as captain in ODI cricket. Following their absence from the 50-over format since the 2023 World Cup, Pakistan will return under the leadership of a new captain. Babar Azam relinquished his role as all-format captain in 2023, paving the way for Rizwan to take the helm. Despite the possibility of Babar resuming captaincy duties in ODIs after leading the T20I squad, Pakistan's early exit from the 2024 T20 World Cup altered the course of leadership.
Rizwan faces a challenging task as the Men in Green gear up to host the Champions Trophy in early 2025. Babar, who was rested for the last two Tests against England, has rejoined the ODI squad and is expected to play a crucial role. Additionally, Shaheen Afridi's return to the team will see him spearhead the pace attack. Although he was briefly appointed T20I captain in early 2024, Afridi was swiftly replaced after just one series.
The upcoming series will also witness the return of Pat Cummins to international cricket. Following his absence since the 2024 T20 World Cup, Cummins briefly played in the Major League Cricket before taking a hiatus. His recent participation in a List A game for New South Wales on October 25 signals his imminent return to the international stage. Cummins will share the responsibility of leading the pace attack with Mitchell Starc and Josh Hazlewood, posing a formidable challenge for Pakistan's batsmen against Australia's formidable bowling lineup.
Live Streaming Details
The highly anticipated Australia vs Pakistan 1st ODI match is scheduled to commence on Monday, November 4th. This thrilling encounter will take place at the iconic Melbourne Cricket Ground in Melbourne. The match is set to kick off at 2:30 pm local time (9:00 am IST), with the toss occurring at 2:00 pm (8:30 am IST). For viewers in India, the match will be broadcasted live on the Star Sports Network. Additionally, fans can also catch the action live on the Disney+Hotstar app and website.
Squads
Australia: Pat Cummins (Captain), Jake Fraser-McGurk, Matthew Short, Steven Smith, Josh Inglis, Marnus Labuschagne, Glenn Maxwell, Marcus Stoinis, Aaron Hardie, Mitchell Starc, Adam Zampa, Josh Hazlewood, Cooper Connolly, Sean Abbott
Pakistan: Mohammad Rizwan (Captain), Abdullah Shafique, Saim Ayub, Babar Azam, Kamran Ghulam, Agha Salman, Aamer Jamal, Shaheen Afridi, Naseem Shah, Haris Rauf, Mohammad Hasnain, Arafat Minhas, Faisal Akram, Haseebullah Khan, Irfan Khan
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