AUS vs PAK: Injury-hit Pakistan Drop Ex-skipper from Boxing Day Test, name 12-member Squad; Australia to field Unchanged XI
Pat Cummins has confirmed that Australia will name an unchanged XI for this week’s Boxing Day Test against Pakistan at the MCG.
Speaking to reporters in Melbourne on Monday morning, the Australian captain revealed that Victorian hero Scott Boland would not play the marquee fixture, with the hosts sticking with the same team as the series opener in Perth.
Meanwhile, Pakistan has made the bold decision to leave out Ex-skipper and veteran wicketkeeper Sarfaraz Ahmed for their upcoming Boxing Day Test match at the Melbourne Cricket Ground. This move comes as part of a series of changes in the Pakistani squad, captained by Shan Masood, for their second Test against Australia.
The Pakistani team, already compelled to adjust their lineup due to injuries to Noman Ali and Khurram Shahzad, has opted for a strategic shift by including Mohammad Rizwan in place of Sarfaraz Ahmed. This change is particularly noteworthy as it follows Sarfaraz’s underwhelming performance in the first Test match against Australia, where he struggled against the bowling of Mitchell Starc.
Pakistan squad for Boxing Day Test
Imam-ul-Haq, Abdullah Shafique, Shan Masood (c), Babar Azam, Saud Shakeel, Mohammad Rizwan (wk), Salman Ali Agha, Shaheen Afridi, Hassan Ali, Mir Hamza, Aamir Jamal, Sajid Khan.
Australian XI for Boxing Day Test
David Warner, Usman Khawaja, Marnus Labuschagne, Steve Smith, Travis Head, Mitchell Marsh, Alex Carey (wk), Pat Cummins (c), Mitchell Starc, Nathan Lyon, Josh Hazlewood
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