Tag: PAK vs AUS

LAHORE: The Pakistan Cricket Board (PCB) has announced the match officials for the three-match ODI series between Pakistan and Australia, set to take place in Rawalpindi and Lahore from 30 May to 4 June.

Sri Lanka’s Graeme La Brooy, who played nine Tests and 44 ODIs from 1986 to 1992, will lead the playing control team as match referee in all three ODIs.

Pakistan’s Ahsan Raza, England’s Richard Kettleborough and Sri Lanka’s Kumar Dharmasena, all part of the ICC Elite Panel of Umpires, will perform duties as on-field umpires during the series.

In the first ODI set to take place at Rawalpindi Cricket Stadium on 30 May, Dharmasena will be joined by Pakistan’s Asif Yaqoob (ICC Emerging Umpires Panel) as on-field umpire.

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In the second ODI at Gaddafi Stadium in Lahore on 2 June, Pakistan’s Faisal Khan Aafreedi (ICC International Panel of Umpires) will join Kettleborough as on-field umpire, while Ahsan and Dharmasena will serve as on-field umpires for the third ODI at the same venue on 4 June.

Pakistan’s Nasir Hussain, a member of the ICC International Panel of Umpires, will perform duties as the fourth umpire in the third ODI.

1st ODI – 30 May – Kumar Dharmasena and Asif Yaqoob – on-field umpires, Richard Kettleborough – third umpire, Faisal Khan Aafreedi – fourth umpire, Graeme La Brooy – match referee

2nd ODI – 2 June – Richard Kettleborough and Faisal Khan Aafreedi – on-field umpires, Kumar Dharmasena – third umpire, Asif Yaqoob – fourth umpire, Graeme La Brooy – match referee

3rd ODI – 4 June – Kumar Dharmasena and Ahsan Raza – on-field umpires, Richard Kettleborough – third umpire, Nasir Hussain – fourth umpire, Graeme La Brooy – match referee

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LAHORE: Star Pakistan opener Saim Ayub is likely to be left out of the squad for the upcoming ODI series against Australia, scheduled from May 30 to June 4, according to sources.

The development comes as the Pakistan Cricket Board (PCB) prepares a broader long-term training structure involving a pool of 38 players for an extended four-month development programme aimed at upcoming international assignments.

Sources indicate that the programme will include both white-ball and red-ball cricketers, with players to be rotated in and out of national duties based on series requirements and workload management.

The initiative is expected to focus heavily on fitness, skill development, and format-specific training, with players remaining in contention for selection across all formats during the period.

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Saim’s name was missing from the recently announced 28-member white-ball training camp at the National Cricket Academy (NCA) ahead of the Australia series, further strengthening reports that he is set to miss the home ODI assignment.

Despite his exclusion, the left-handed batter has been one of Pakistan’s most productive ODI performers in recent years.

He has scored 751 runs in 17 ODI appearances at an average of 46.93 and a strike rate of 100, including three centuries and three half-centuries.

However, his recent form has shown a dip, with 236 runs in his last eight ODIs at an average of 29.50, featuring two fifties.

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LAHORE: The Pakistan Cricket Board (PCB) has announced a 28-player white-ball training camp ahead of the upcoming ODI series against Australia, with emerging stars Hunain Shah and Sufiyan Muqeem among the notable inclusions.

The camp, which will be held at the National Cricket Academy (NCA) in Lahore, is scheduled to begin on May 15 and conclude on May 21.

According to the PCB, the seven-day camp will feature training sessions and practice matches as Pakistan intensify preparations for the three-match home ODI series against Australia.

Muqeem and Hunain earned selection following impressive performances in the recently concluded Pakistan Super League (PSL) season 11.

Left-arm spinner Muqeem finished as the tournament’s leading wicket-taker with 22 wickets and played a key role in guiding Peshawar Zalmi to the title.

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Meanwhile, fast bowler Hunain claimed 17 wickets during the campaign to finish as the fourth-highest wicket-taker while representing runners-up Hyderabad Kingsmen.

The PCB further confirmed that the NCA coaching staff will work closely with Pakistan’s white-ball team management throughout the camp to monitor and prepare the players.

The training group also includes Pakistan Under-19 fast bowlers Abdul Subhan and Ali Raza, both of whom represented Pakistan in the ICC Under-19 Men’s Cricket World Cup earlier this year in Zimbabwe and Namibia.

Notably, underperforming opening batter Saim Ayub has been excluded from the camp.

Pakistan will host Australia for three ODIs in Rawalpindi and Lahore between May 30 and June 4. All three matches are scheduled to begin at 4:30pm local time, with the toss set for 4pm.

Players named in Pakistan white-ball camp: Aamir Jamal, Abdul Samad, Abrar Ahmed, Ahmed Daniyal, Akif Javed, Arafat Minhas, Faisal Akram, Fakhar Zaman, Haider Ali, Hamza Nazeer, Haris Rauf, Hunain Shah, Khawaja Mohammad Nafay, Maaz Sadaqat, Mehran Mumtaz, Mohammad Faik, Mohammad Hasnain, Mohammad Salman Mirza, Naseem Shah, Saad Baig, Saad Masood, Sahibzada Farhan, Shadab Khan, Shamyl Hussain, Sufiyan Muqeem and Usman Khan.

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LAHORE: The tickets for the upcoming three-match One Day International (ODI) series between Pakistan and Australia will go on sale at affordable prices from Friday, 22 May.

The tickets can be acquired online at pcb.tcs.com.pk, the Pakistan Cricket Board (PCB) announced today. Meanwhile, the physical tickets can be purchased from TCS Express Centres, which will be announced in due course.

The ODI series will commence on Saturday, 30 May, with the first ODI taking place at the Rawalpindi Cricket Stadium, while the second and third ODIs will be played on 2 and 4 June, respectively, at the Gaddafi Stadium in Lahore.

To encourage large attendance at the venues, the cricket board has set affordable ticket prices across all categories.

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At both venues, General enclosure tickets will be available for PKR 200, First Class enclosure tickets for PKR 300, Premium tickets for PKR 400 and VIP tickets for PKR 500.

For the Rawalpindi fixture, VIP Gallery tickets will be available at PKR 1,500.

Meanwhile, at the Gaddafi Stadium, VIP enclosures at Iqbal End (Waqar Younis and Wasim Akram) for both matches will be available at PKR 1,000, while Jinnah End (Majid Khan and Zaheer Abbas) will be available for PKR 1,500.

For corporate customers, hospitality seats will also be available. Interested parties can contact the PCB Head Office for further details regarding hospitality bookings.

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SYDNEY: Cricket Australia (CA) have announced a fresh-looking squad for the upcoming ODI series against Pakistan, handing maiden international call-ups to teenage batting prodigy Oliver Peake and emerging all-rounder Liam Scott.

Australia are scheduled to tour Pakistan for a three-match ODI series beginning on May 30, but several senior stars have been rested ahead of the home Test series against Bangladesh later this year.

Regular captain Pat Cummins, along with premier fast bowlers Mitchell Starc and Josh Hazlewood, were among the notable absentees from the squad.

The selectors instead opted for a youthful combination featuring a blend of emerging talent and returning players as Australia continue to build depth in white-ball cricket.

Fast bowler Billy Stanlake earned his first national call-up since 2019 after overcoming a lengthy injury struggle, while pacer Riley Meredith returned to the ODI set-up for the first time since 2024.

Meanwhile, players involved in the latter stages of the ongoing Indian Premier League (IPL) will miss the Pakistan series before joining the squad in Bangladesh following the tournament’s conclusion. Those players include Travis Head, Cooper Connolly, Xavier Bartlett and Ben Dwarshuis.

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National selection chairman George Bailey said the subcontinent tours would provide an important learning opportunity for the next generation of Australian cricketers.

“It’s always exciting to see new players get an opportunity to play international cricket and be a part of the national team,” Bailey said.

“The blend of experienced players coupled with new or returning players will provide a nice mix for these subcontinent tours.

“Continuing to provide opportunities for players to develop across a broad range of conditions and experiences is important and will continue to be a focus over the next 18 months to two years.”

The ODI series will begin at Rawalpindi Cricket Stadium on May 30 before the remaining two matches are played at Gaddafi Stadium on June 2 and June 4.

Australia ODI squad for Pakistan series

Mitchell Marsh (captain), Alex Carey, Nathan Ellis, Cameron Green, Josh Inglis, Matthew Kuhnemann, Marnus Labuschagne, Riley Meredith, Oliver Peake, Matthew Renshaw, Tanveer Sangha, Liam Scott, Matt Short, Billy Stanlake and Adam Zampa.

WATCH: Babar Azam returns to the nets after injury blow

LAHORE: The Pakistan Cricket Board (PCB) has reportedly finalised a tentative schedule for the upcoming home ODI series against Australia, with all three matches likely to be staged at the Gaddafi Stadium, sources revealed on Thursday.

According to the proposed plan, the series is expected to begin on May 31, with the second and third ODIs scheduled for June 2 and June 4, respectively.

The official confirmation from the PCB is still awaited, with the final itinerary expected to be announced in due course.

If confirmed, the series will mark Australia’s return to Pakistan for a 50-over assignment for the first time since 2022. On that occasion, the home side secured a memorable 2–1 victory in a closely contested three-match series.

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Historically, Australia have maintained the upper hand in ODI cricket between the two sides, leading Pakistan 71-36 in 111 encounters, with four matches ending without a result.

Following the Pakistan tour, Australia are also scheduled to travel to Bangladesh for a full white-ball series in June 2026, marking the end of a long gap between bilateral ODI engagements in the country.

Meanwhile, Pakistan’s international calendar remains packed as they prepare for a key red-ball assignment in Bangladesh ahead of the home series against Australia.

They will feature in a two-match Test series in Bangladesh as part of the ICC World Test Championship 2025–27 cycle.

Tentative schedule for Pakistan vs Australia

May 31: 1st ODI, Gaddafi Stadium, Lahore

June 02: 2nd ODI, Gaddafi Stadium, Lahore

June 04: 3rd ODI, Gaddafi Stadium, Lahore

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LAHORE: Pakistan’s ace batter Babar Azam on Sunday broke another record held by India’s Virat Kohli, becoming the leading half-century maker in the men’s T20Is.

The 31-year-old reached the landmark feat during Pakistan’s third T20I against Australia, scoring 50* from 36 balls with the aid of three fours and a six.

The knock marked Babar’s 39th half-century in T20Is, taking him past Kohli, who brought down curtains on his decorated limited-overs career in 2024 after scoring 38 fifties.

Most half-centuries in men’s T20Is

39* – Babar Azam Pakistan (132 innings)
38 – Virat Kohli India (117 innings)
32 – Rohit Sharma India (151 innings)
30 – Mohammad Rizwan Pakistan (93 innings)
28 – David Warner (110 innings)
28 – Jos Buttler (132 innings)

For those unaware, Babar is also the top run-scorer in men’s T20Is, accumulating 4505 runs in 132 innings, with an average of 39.51 and a strike rate of 128.38. Additionally, he has scored three centuries in this format.

With the help of his half-century, Pakistan posted a daunting total of 207 in 20 overs against Australia.

In reply, Australia were bowled out for just 96 in 16.5 overs. The visitors lost the fixture by 111 runs, their biggest margin of defeat in T20I cricket.

For Pakistan, Mohammad Nawaz picked up five wicket haul in his quota of four overs while giving away 19. Shaheen Shah Afridi also took two wickets.

With this win, Pakistan also completed 3-0 whitewash over them, a timely confidence booster ahead of T20 World Cup 2026.

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LAHORE: Pakistan on Sunday crushed Australia by a hefty margin of 111 runs in the third and final T20I as Saim Ayub, Babar Azam, and Mohammad Nawaz starred to give the home side a timely confidence booster ahead of the ICC Men’s T20 World Cup 2026.

Set a daunting 208, Australia were skittled for 96 in 16.5 overs, with the last batter, Adam Zampa, not coming out to bat.

The home side inflicted a miserable start on Australia as Shaheen Afridi knocked over Australian skipper Mitchell Marsh on the fourth ball of the over.

This set the tone as the Australian batting order could not deliver, with Matthew Short and Matt Renshaw getting dismissed in a cheap manner.

As a result, Australia were reduced to 16-3 in 2.5 overs with Cameron Green and Marcus Stoinis at the crease.

The pair arrested the slide with a 44-run partnership for the fourth wicket, propelling the score to 60 in 9.1 overs.

Mohammad Nawaz broke the threatening stand, cleaning up Stoinis. The all-rounder made 23 from 22 with the help of three fours.

Following the wicket, the Australian innings quickly unfolded with Nawaz tormented through the visitors’ batting order.

The whole side was eventually bowled out, leading to their largest defeat margin in T20Is.

For Pakistan, Mohammad Nawaz picked up five wicket haul in his quota of four overs while giving away 19. Shaheen Shah Afridi also took two wickets.

Earlier, Saim Ayub and Babar Azam’s gutsy half-centuries and a quick-fire knock from Shadab Khan propelled Pakistan to a big total

Opting to bat first, Pakistan racked up 207-6 at the end of their 20 overs.

Pakistan captain Salman Ali Agha’s decision to bat first proved decisive as the hosts recovered from an early setback to post their highest total of the series in the Pakistan vs Australia T20I clash.

The Green Shirts made a stuttering start when opener Sahibzada Farhan was dismissed for 10 in the second over, with just 14 runs on the board.

The early wicket brought Agha to the crease at number three, but the skipper failed to repeat his earlier heroics, falling for a three-ball five to Ben Dwarshuis, leaving Pakistan struggling at 34 for 2 in 3.4 overs.

The innings steadied when experienced campaigner Babar Azam joined Saim Ayub, and the pair shifted momentum with a brisk 69-run partnership for the third wicket. Ayub was the aggressor, finding the gaps with ease before being dismissed on the first ball of the 12th over.

Ayub top-scored with a polished 56 off 37 balls, striking six fours and two sixes, before holing out to a spectacular catch by Matthew Renshaw in the deep off Matthew Kuhnemann.

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Babar then combined briefly with Khawaja Nafay, adding 28 runs for the fourth wicket. Nafay impressed with a quick 21 off 12 balls, hitting two sixes and a boundary before departing.

With Pakistan well placed at 131 for 4 after 14 overs, all-rounder Shadab Khan provided late impetus, smashing a rapid 46 off just 19 deliveries, including five sixes among seven boundaries.

Shadab also shared a vital 57-run stand with Babar, who anchored the innings and remained unbeaten on 50 from 36 balls, featuring three fours and a six.

For Australia, Ben Dwarshuis was the most effective bowler, finishing with 2 for 39, while Matthew Kuhnemann, Cameron Green, Cooper Connolly, and Matthew Short claimed one wicket each.

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LAHORE: Pakistan have won the toss and decided to bat first in the third T20I against Australia here at the Gaddafi Stadium on Sunday.

HEAD TO HEAD

Pakistan and Australia have played 29 T20I matches, with both teams winning the same number of the matches.

Matches 30, Pakistan 14, Australia 14, NR 1

Pakistan have been placed in Group A alongside India, USA, the Netherlands and Namibia, while Australia will feature in Group B with Sri Lanka, Ireland, Zimbabwe and Oman.

Playing XIs

Pakistan: Saim Ayub, Fakhar Zaman, Salman Ali Agha (c), Babar Azam, Khawaja Nafay, Shadab Khan, Mohammad Nawaz, Faheem Ashraf, Shahen Afridi, Naseem Shah, Abrar Ahmed

Australia: Mitchell Marsh (c), Matthew Short, Cameron Green, Matt Renshaw, Marcus Stoinis, Josh Philippe (wk), Mitchell Owen, Cooper Connolly, Ben Dwarshuis, Matt Kuhnemann, Adam Zampa

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LAHORE: Pakistan produced a ruthless all-round performance to outclass Australia in the second T20I at the Gaddafi Stadium on Saturday, sealing the three-match series with an unassailable 2-0 lead.

Defending a competitive 198-5, Pakistan’s bowlers, led by a dominant spin effort, dismantled Australia for just 108 in 15.4 overs, handing the visitors a crushing 90-run defeat.

Cameron Green top-scored for Australia with a 20-ball 35, followed by Matthew Short, who made 27 off 23 deliveries.

Other than them, only skipper Mitchell Marsh (18) and Xavier Bartlett (10) managed to reach double figures.

For Pakistan, Abrar Ahmed and Shadab Khan claimed three wickets each, while Usman Tariq bagged two.

Saim Ayub and Mohammad Nawaz also contributed with one wicket each.

Earlier, Pakistan captain Salman Ali Agha made the most of winning the toss and opting to bat first, as the hosts posted a commanding total on the back of his aggressive knock and a late surge from wicketkeeper Usman Khan.

Pakistan had a shaky start, losing Sahibzada Farhan for 5 in the second over with only 17 on the board. However, Agha quickly took control alongside Saim Ayub, and the pair ensured the innings did not lose momentum in the powerplay.

Agha dominated the stand, while Ayub played a brisk cameo before falling on the penultimate ball of the powerplay. The left-hander struck 23 off 11 balls, hitting four boundaries, before being dismissed by Cooper Connolly.

Pakistan then suffered another setback when Adam Zampa trapped Babar Azam lbw for 2, briefly putting pressure on the hosts at 76/3 in 7.1 overs.

But Agha continued his counter-attack and shifted the momentum decisively with a rapid partnership with Shadab Khan.

The Pakistan skipper brought up his sixth T20I fifty in just 25 balls, eventually top-scoring with a blazing 76 off 40 deliveries, featuring eight fours and four sixes.

Australia finally got relief when Sean Abbott removed Agha in the 13th over, ending a threatening 49-run stand.

At the back end, Usman Khan ensured Pakistan finished strongly, registering his second T20I half-century with a composed yet fluent 52 off 35 balls, including four fours and two sixes.

He also stitched a crucial 63-run partnership with Shadab, who contributed 28 off 20 balls, while Mohammad Nawaz chipped in with a quick 10 off 4 to push Pakistan to 198.

For Australia, Xavier Bartlett, Matthew Kuhnemann, Adam Zampa, Cooper Connolly and Sean Abbott picked up a wicket each.

In reply, Australia never looked settled as Pakistan’s bowlers struck regularly and kept the scoring under control, eventually bundling the visitors out for 108 to wrap up the series with a match to spare.

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