*Official* Australia in Pakistan 2022

[smash84]

Ok

 

[Gob]

As my first post, why not comment on the series I am most looking forward to this year (so far) and one with a huge global impact in cricket.

Top class test cricket returns to Pakistan and every fan should be tuning in, with two good squads. I think Australia has the far better test players but in these conditions, Pakistan has had the rub on them for a decade, so this will be a close call.

Barring bad weather, I think Pakistan take the series 2-1, with Australia finding a way to win something.

The best XIs I can see across the sides are:

Pak
1. Shafique: Pakistan's new bright young thing
2. Masood: warranted a come back
3. Ali: possibly his last test series if it does not go well, but at home he should be able to find some form
4. Azam c
5. Alam
6. Rizwan wk
7. Ashraf: a decent pace bowling all rounder
8. Hasan Ali
9. Shaheen Afridi
10. Sajid Khan: straight from his heroics in Bangladesh
11. Nauman Ali: part of the spin duo, worth persisting at least in the first test

Aus
1. Warner
2. Harris
3. Khawaja: not as good away but hard to ignore atm
4. Labuschagne: crunch time for the young man in alien conditions
5. Smith
6. Carey wk: neither of Australia's keeping hopefuls are great but at least Carey has some top level experience
7. Mitch Marsh: certainly can bat higher
8. Agar
9. Lyon
10. Cummins c
11. Starc

Harris sucks balls. Green should definitely play

 

[Prince EWS]

Harris sucks balls. Green should definitely play

Yeah dropping Head and Green for Harris and Marsh and then batting Smith at 5 is seriously weird.

 

[GoodAreasShane]

Also, wtf is up with Lyon at 9?

 

[Prince EWS]

Also, wtf is up with Lyon at 9?

Priorities, lol.

 

[CricAddict]

Yeah dropping Head and Green for Harris and Marsh and then batting Smith at 5 is seriously weird.

The current team actually has everyone at well settled positions. Only the WK spot is open.

 

[Prince EWS]

The current team actually has everyone at well settled positions. Only the WK spot is open.

They might go for two spinners on some surfaces but they'd want to be sure about it; it's not the UAE.

 

[GoodAreasShane]

Priorities, lol.

Everything else wrong had already been covered, and weirdly ordered tails have always been something that is mildly irritating to me

 

[TheJediBrah]

I like funky teams but can't get behind having Harris in it

 

[hassan918]

Australian team has arrived earlier today and I am really excited to the start of the first set in 5 days time. After the cancellation of the New Zealand series, not many were expecting the full strength Australian squad to come to Pakistan but there full strength test squad in now in Pakistan and things are looking great.

 

[honestbharani]

Australia have a real chance at an ambush on Pak here given almost all their players are coming straight off the PSL now and a couple of important players are already injured.

 

[GotSpin]

Wait, does Australia not even have a single warm up match?

 

[CricAddict]

They might go for two spinners on some surfaces but they'd want to be sure about it; it's not the UAE.

Yes definitely. So, which of the pacers apart from Boland gets dropped assuming Green starts? Below should be the starting line-up with choices for second spinner and second pacer alone.

Warner
Khawaja
Labu
Smith
Head
Green
Carey
Agar/Swepson
Cummins
Starc/Hazlewood
Lyon

 

[smash84]

i still can't believe this series is going ahead......keeping fingers crossed until it actually goes through

 

[GotSpin]

Yes definitely. So, which of the pacers apart from Boland gets dropped assuming Green starts? Below should be the starting line-up with choices for second spinner and second pacer alone.

Warner
Khawaja
Labu
Smith
Head
Green
Inglis
Agar/Swepson
Cummins
Starc/Hazlewood
Lyon

Carey will be starting surely?

 

[CricAddict]

Carey will be starting surely?

Corrected. I am not sure of the current pecking order between Carey and Inglis.

 

[trundler]

Hasan Ali and Faheem Ashraf getting injured leaves Pakistan with one pacer who starts in the first choice XI and he's coming off a grand PSL performance. Afridi's fitness could be dodgy too. Definitely don't want Rauf in there. Rather they dug up Mir Hamza again.

 

[Burgey]

Really looking forward to this series. Been so damn long since Aus toured Pakistan it feels like the first time ever. Hope Aus doesn't get too funky with the team and sticks to its strengths, unless it's a real dust bowl.

 

[Apex Predator]

Agar vs Swepson is a call that Aus has to make. SLAO is ruling right now in subcontinent so I think Agar should get a go. He bowled wonderfully against Lankans in recent T20 series so he is in some sort of form.
Babar Rizwan have shown their weakness against left arm spin in the past too

 

[CricAddict]

Agar vs Swepson is a call that Aus has to make. SLAO is ruling right now in subcontinent so I think Agar should get a go. He bowled wonderfully against Lankans in recent T20 series so he is in some sort of form.
Babar Rizwan have shown their weakness against left arm spin in the past too

Yes, I will be going with Agar over Swepson too. And Haze can start over Starc for the first test.