Pakistan wins toss, fields against Australia in 1st ODI

LAHORE: Pakistan won the toss and elected to field against an understrength Australia in the first one-day international on Tuesday.

Fast bowler Nathan Ellis and legspinner Mitchell Swepson will make their ODI debuts for Australia after the visitors’ white-ball squad was hit by coronavirus infections.

Left-arm spinner Ashton Agar was ruled out of the three-match series after a COVID-19 test returned positive on Tuesday, a day after another positive for wicketkeeper-batter Josh Inglis. Team physiotherapist Brendan Wilson is also infected.

Captain Aaron Finch said he would have bowled first, too, because of potential dew in the evening.

Ellis played two Twenty20s against Bangladesh last year and took a hat trick on debut. Swepson made his test debut during the recent 1-0 series victory in Pakistan.

Pakistan awarded ODI debuts to fast bowlers Mohammad Wasim and legspinner Zahid Mahmood as the home team rested its premier pace bowler Shaheen Shah Afridi. Vice-captain Shadab Khan has yet to recover from a hamstring injury sustained during the Pakistan Super League last month.

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Lineups:

Pakistan: Babar Azam (captain), Fakhar Zaman, Imam-ul-Haq, Mohammad Rizwan, Saud Shakeel, Iftikhar Ahmed, Khushdil Shah, Hasan Ali, Mohammad Wasim, Haris Rauf, Zahid Mahmood.

Australia: Aaron Finch (captain), Travis Head, Ben McDermott, Marnus Labuschagne, Marcus Stoinis, Cameron Green, Alex Carey, Sean Abbott, Nathan Ellis, Adam Zampa, Mitchell Swepson.