Daijiworld Media Network

Sharjah, Aug 28 : Hello one and all to the first ODI between Pakistan and Australia from Sharjah. Australia are heading into the match high on confidence after a clinical performance against Afghanistan. The UAE heat took a toll on most of the Australian players and one can expect a severe Test for them against a strong Pakistan outfit.

Pakistan have played three ODIs against Australia at Sharjah and have defeated them all three times. This is a new beginning though for both teams. Pakistan are coming off a 3-1 loss to Sri Lanka in their recent series while Australia lost 4-0 to England.

This is perhaps the only series where each of the three ODIs will stretch for two days. This has come about because the start time has been pushed ahead to avoid playing in awfully hot conditions.

Pakistan have not defeated Australia in a bilateral series for 10 years. In the series played in Australia in 2002, Pakistan managed to win a bilateral series 2-1. This will serve as additional motivation for the team.

Pitch Report: Robin Jackman is measuring the temparature of the pitch and it reads 50 degrees. There are some cracks one offer. The swing bowlers might get some help in this humidity. He says that he does not know what this pitch will offer. The captain winning the toss will want to bat first.

Pakistan have won the toss and elected to bat

Misbah: I will bat first. It is a typical Sharjah wicket and it will slow down as the game progresses. Whenever we have played here, we have done well. We have a combination of two bowlers, three spinners and Kamran Akmal is in the side.

Clarke: There was a little bit of dew in the night and it was hard to grip the ball. It was hotter than yesterday but it is nice today. Pakistan have wonderful spin bowlers and we have to be on top of our game. Dan Christian replaces Doherty. The batting order is the same and Wade is fit.

Mitchell Johnson: This is my first tour here since I had missed the 2009 series. We have been training hard and I am enjoying myself here. It is quite tough to grip the ball here. We have plenty of options to work with due to the presence of two new balls. I hope that we have worked upon holding the ball. I will be wearing sweat-bands so that I can overcome it.

Teams:

Pakistan (Playing XI): Mohammad Hafeez, Kamran Akmal(w), Nasir Jamshed, Umar Akmal, Azhar Ali, Misbah-ul-Haq(c), Asad Shafiq, Shahid Afridi, Sohail Tanvir, Saeed Ajmal, Aizaz Cheema

Australia (Playing XI): Matthew Wade(w), David Warner, Michael Clarke(c), Glenn Maxwell, Michael Hussey, David Hussey, George Bailey, Daniel Christian, Mitchell Johnson, James Pattinson, Mitchell Starc

Preview

Pakistan and Australia will seek to reverse their recent poor fortunes amidst oppressive heat and unusual timings in their limited over series which starts on Tuesday.

Pakistan, who have not beaten Australia in a one-day series since 2002, have lost 4-1 to England and 3-1 in Sri Lanka, slipping to sixth in the one-day rankings.

Australia, who slid to fourth from number one for the first time in three years after a humiliating 4-0 defeat in England last month, not only face an opponent laced with quality spinners but also with high temperatures.

Pakistan, who are playing their home series on neutral venues because of security fears in their country, was forced to host the series in the extreme hot conditions in United Arab Emirates after Sri Lanka backed out as alternate.

Pakistan also considered Malaysia as the option but threats of rains ruled out that option too, forcing them to start the one-day matches at 6pm in the evening and finish them at 1:45 am the next day.

Australia had the taste of conditions and timings in their 66-run win over Afghanistan on Saturday.

But Pakistan's vice-captain Mohammad Hafeez believed both teams will have to cope with the conditions.

'We have to deal with that, as professionals we are ready to play and although the timings are odd but we will manage once the series gets underway,' said Hafeez, who is also Pakistan's Twenty20 captain.

The three one-day matches will be followed by as many Twenty20 internationals.

Hafeez hoped Pakistan will not think about the past.

'We always believe in performing well in every series. The history (not beating Australia since 2002) is also on your mind but we are not bothered about it and start with an aim of doing well,' said Hafeez.

Pakistan will rely heavily on their spinning trio of Saeed Ajmal, Hafeez and Shahid Afridi, more so because they left out frontline paceman Umar Gul for the one-dayers.

'Our spinners got some success here against Sri Lanka and England with Ajmal, being one of the best in the world, and Afridi, so we have got good spinners for the conditions and hopefully they do well again,' said Hafeez.

Pakistan also left out experienced Younis Khan but included wicket-keeper batsman Kamran Akmal to supplement the fragile batting.

Australian captain Michael Clarke sought consistency in his team's performance.

'Both teams are keen to get some consistency back into the one-day game. It's just about performing consistently, getting out and playing some of your best cricket. That's our goal as a team: to make sure we are playing as well at home and away.'

Clarke said it will be a hard fought series, with Pakistani spinners holding the center stage.

'I know it's going to be a hard fought contest against Pakistan. I think spin in general is going to be a factor. To have success in these next three one-dayers, I think it is going to come down to whoever bowls spin the best and whoever plays spin the best will win the series.

'Pakistan are a very good one-day team. I think their greatest strength is definitely going to be their spin bowling. They got some really good spinners in conditions where scoring against spin bowling is going to be quite tough.'

Australia have left-arm spinner Xavier Doherty in their squad to add to leg-spin of Steve Smith, and off-spinners Glenn Maxwell and David Hussey and part-timers in Clarke.