Australia have opted to bat first against Pakistan in the warm-up match being played at the Rajiv Gandhi International Stadium in Hyderabad ahead of the ICC Cricket World Cup 2023.

Australian skipper Pat Cummins stated that the wicket looks great and shared his side’s batting plans after winning the toss.

“Looks like a good wicket,” said Cummins. 

“Good chance for a couple of our batters to spend some time in the middle. Having 50 overs, bowlers can only bowl 10 overs, brings some challenges.”

Pakistan will be led by Shadab Khan during the match, while regular captain Babar Azam will only come in the game to bat. Mohammad Rizwan has also been rested and Mohammad Haris will keep the stumps in his place.

“He is okay but Babar wanted a rest,” said Shadab. 

“Babar and Rizwan are resting but I am the captain and will make him [Babar] work hard [laughs]. We lost the last game but would want to win today, winning is a habit.”

Following a defeat in their previous warm-up match against New Zealand by five wickets, Pakistan is eager to address their shortcomings in this game.

Meanwhile, Australia’s prior warm-up clash against the Netherlands was called off due to rain. 

This fixture carries great significance for both teams as it provides a valuable chance to refine their tactics, evaluate player performance, and adapt to the current conditions in preparation for the prestigious tournament.

The ICC World Cup 2023 warm-up matches consist of 50 overs per side. However, these matches won’t have ODI status because teams have the flexibility to include all 15 members of their squad in the Playing XI.

Details to follow