Last Updated on 3 weeks by Charbel Coorey

PAK vs AUS 1st ODI Dream11 Prediction & Fan2Play Possible 11 Pitch Report | PAK vs AUS 1st ODI Dream11 Prediction Today | Pakistan vs Australia 1st ODI Key Players | Lahore Pitch Report

Soon after an energy-sapping, emotionally-charged Test series that saw Australia prevail 1-0 in the final session, attention turns to the ODI Super League where both Pakistan and Australia will play their first ODI in quite some time.

To make matters all the more challenging for Australia, they will be without a number of their first-team regulars due to a variety of reasons. However, it is an opportunity for others to step up and make a mark, especially given an ODI World Cup is a little over a year away. They currently sit sixth in the ODI Super League table, only because they have played such limited ODI cricket since the start of the pandemic. They have beaten England, India and West Indies in this period, and will be looking to add Pakistan to the list.

For Babar Azam’s team, this will be their first ODI since July last year where they were beaten 3-0 by a new-look England team. They are certainly favourites on paper given the experience Australia is missing, so it is important for the home side to start well and improve the mood after a Test series defeat at home last week.

Possible Playing 11

Shadab Khan could be out of the first two ODIs due to the groin injury he picked up in the PSL. Also, Sarfaraz Ahmed and Imad Wasim are not in the Pakistan ODI squad.

Pakistan: 1. Imam-ul-Haq, 2. Fakhar Zaman, 3. Babar Azam (c), 4. Abdullah Shafique, 5. Mohammad Rizwan (wk), 6. Mohammad Haris, 7. Faheem Ashraf, 8. Asif Afridi, 9. Hasan Ali, 10. Shaheen Shah Afridi, 11. Haris Rauf

For Australia, a number of frontline players, including David Warner and Pat Cummins, are rested. Steve Smith is out of the series due to his troublesome elbow, while Mitch Marsh is out of the first ODI at least due to a hip injury. Josh Inglis and Ashton Agar are not up for selection after testing positive for COVID-19.

Australia could look to play a second spinner in the form of Mitch Swepson with Stoinis and Green available. Also, it remains to be seen if Australia open with Travis Head or Ben McDermott.

Australia: 1. Aaron Finch (c), 2. Ben McDermott, 3. Marnus Labuschagne, 4. Travis Head, 5. Marcus Stoinis, 6. Cameron Green, 7. Alex Carey (wk), 8. Sean Abbott/Mitch Swepson, 9. Jason Behrendorff, 10. Adam Zampa, 11. Nathan Ellis

Key Players to Watch/Key Stats

Pakistan:

• Babar Azam was outstanding in the Tests, and he returns to arguably his favourite format where he averages 56.92 in 83 ODIs. The skipper averages 52 in six ODIs vs Australia (312 runs), with a half-century and century to his name.
• Fakhar Zaman was outstanding in the recent PSL. The left-hander struck 588 runs (the most of any player) at an average of 45.23 and strike rate of 152.72.
• Mohammad Rizwan is without a doubt one of Pakistan’s best white-ball players currently. He too was excellent in the recent PSL, with 546 runs at an average of 68.45 and strike rate of 126.68. He will be key in the middle order here.
• Shaheen Shah Afridi recently led Lahore to their first PSL Title on this ground. He has played just the one ODI against Australia so far (2/70 in the 2019 World Cup), but his ability to swing the ball early could cause issues for Australia, particularly Aaron Finch. Remember the 2021 T20 World Cup Semi Final?
• Hasan Ali much prefers bowling first in ODIs. In games where Pakistan have bowled first, Ali has taken 64 wickets in 28 ODIs at an average of 22.95. When bowling second, the average balloons up to 45.64 (25 wickets in 27 ODI innings).

Australia:

• It’s a big series for the under pressure Aaron Finch. The skipper needs to lead the way with the bat in an inexperienced Aussie side. He had a magnificent series against Pakistan in the UAE in 2019 (5 inns, 451 runs, avg. 112.75) and averages 63 in 10 ODIs overall against Pakistan.
• Travis Head has a century and half-century to his name in five ODIs against Pakistan (total of 270 runs, avg. 67.50). Also, Australia could look to play him as opener given his past success in the role. He has scored 493 runs in 12 innings at an average of 41.08 with five 50+ scores.
• Marnus Labuschagne has made a strong impression in his ODI career so far, with 473 runs in 13 matches at an average of 39.41 and strike rate of 91.43. This includes a century and three half-centuries.
• Also, Aaron Finch has hinted that Labuschagne could be used as an all-rounder. So, we could expect to see some overs out of Marnus.
• Adam Zampa will be key for Australia, especially when it comes to taking wickets in the middle overs. He is three wickets away from 100 in ODIs, with this set to be his 65th match. He has taken 11 wickets in seven ODIs against Pakistan (avg. 34).
• Jason Behrendorff will be key upfront with his ability to swing the ball. Australia will need early wickets, and Behrendorff could be the player to deliver.

Stats and Facts

• The last time these two teams met in a bilateral ODI series was in 2019 in the UAE. Australia won 5-0.
• Australia sit seventh and Pakistan tenth in the ODI Super League table. Both teams have played nine matches so far.
• This will be the first ODI at Lahore since Zimbabwe’s momentous visit in 2015 that broke a six-year hiatus of international cricket in Pakistan. The last ODI before that was in 2009.

Gaddafi Stadium Lahore Pitch Report and Weather

Expect a dry but good batting surface on a ground which typically favours the batsmen. The pitches were excellent for batting in the PSL, and then again in the recent Test match. There could be dew in the evening, so chasing could be the way to go even though it is a very hot day in Lahore (37 degrees).

Dream11 Prediction

Note: The below teams are not based on the final playing XIs. We may not be able to update these in time. Use the stats and commentary in this article as well as your own instincts to create your teams.

Option 1:

Option 2:

Fan2Play Prediction

Base team:

• Wicket-keepers: Mohammad Rizwan
• Batsmen: Babar Azam, Fakhar Zaman, Marnus Labuschagne
• All-rounders: Ashton Agar
• Bowlers: Shaheen Shah Afridi, Adam Zampa

Match Prediction

Pakistan should win given the gulf in experience between the teams.