DUBAI – Pakistan skipper Sarfaraz Ahmad won the toss and decided to bat first against Australia in the first test of the two matches series 2018 in Dubai on Sunday (today).
The match is started at 11am Pakistan Standard Time (PST). The match is being broadcast live on PTV Sports network & Ten Sports. For live scores, updates, and live streaming, you can follow dailypakistan.com.pk.
Pakistan included off-spinner Bilal Asif for his first Test at the age of 33, backing up leg-spinner Yasir Shah.
Australia handed Test caps to Aaron Finch, Travis Head and Marnus Labuschagne in a side containing two spinners in Nathan Lyon and Jon Holland.
The second Test is in Abu Dhabi from October 16.
Team Pakistan had whitewashed Australia in the two-match test series in 2014. The spinners had played a key role as they picked up 30 out of the 40 Australian wickets.
On the other hand, Australia has named an inexperienced XI for the match, with three debutants – Aaron Finch, Travis Head and Marnus Labuschagne, while veteran fast-bowler Peter Siddle has earned a recall at the expense of the uncapped Michael Neser and Brendan Doggett.
Squads:
Australia: Aaron Finch, Usman Khawaja, Shaun Marsh, Mitchell Marsh, Travis Head, Marnus Labuschagne, Tim Paine, Mitchell Starc, Peter Siddle, Jon Holland, Nathan Lyon.
Pakistan: Imam ul-Haq, Mohammad Hafeez, Azhar Ali, Asad Shafiq, Haris Sohail, Babar Azam, Sarfraz Ahmed, Bilal Asif, Yasir Shah, Mohammad Abbas, Wahab Riaz.
Umpires:Â Richard Illingworth (ENG) and Richard Kettleborough (ENG)
TV umpire:Â Sundaram Ravi (IND)
Match referee:Â Ranjan Madugalle (SRI)
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