MELBOURNE, Australia — In the opening one-day international against Pakistan on Monday, Australia won the toss and chose to bowl first.

Pat Cummins returns to lead the Australian team after being absent since the T20 World Cup in June. Meanwhile, Mitchell Marsh and Travis Head are on paternity leave for the duration of the three-match series.

This series serves as a crucial preparation phase for Australia ahead of next year’s Champions Trophy, with only one further ODI scheduled, against Sri Lanka in February.

Cameron Green is sidelined due to injury and will miss the entire Australian season. However, seasoned players Steven Smith and Marnus Labuschagne bolster the middle order alongside the explosive Glenn Maxwell.

On the other hand, Pakistan arrives for the series with significant changes in its white-ball squad and management following a tumultuous year.

Coach Gary Kirsten stepped down prior to the series, and interim head coach Jason Gillespie has taken the helm for the Australian tour.

Babar Azam, who has faced challenges in his form, has stepped down from limited-overs captaincy roles twice since last year’s 50-over World Cup in India. His successor, Mohammad Rizwan, assumed leadership just before the team’s departure to Australia.

Babar, alongside Shaheen Shah Afridi and Naseem Shah, was left out of the last two home Test matches against England, which Pakistan managed to win, capturing the series 2-1. All three players have returned for the ODIs.

Today’s match saw opening batter Saim Ayub and all-rounder Irfan Khan receive their ODI debuts. Pakistan’s squad featured a strong bowling lineup with four fast bowlers: Afridi, Naseem, Mohammad Hasnain, and Haris Rauf.

The caps for Ayub and Khan were presented by the legendary former Pakistan captain Wasim Akram at the Melbourne Cricket Ground on Monday, adding to the significance of their debut.

Hasnain made a notable impression on selectors during a recent domestic ODI tournament, marking his return to international cricket after almost two years, following his last ODI against New Zealand in January 2023.

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**Line-ups:**

**Pakistan:** Saim Ayub, Abdullah Shafique, Babar Azam, Mohammad Rizwan (captain), Kamran Ghulam, Salman Ali Agha, Irfan Khan, Shaheen Shah Afridi, Naseem Shah, Haris Rauf, Mohammad Hasnain.

**Australia:** Matt Short, Jake Fraser-McGurk, Steven Smith, Marnus Labuschagne, Josh Inglis, Glenn Maxwell, Aaron Hardie, Sean Abbott, Pat Cummins (captain), Mitchell Starc, Adam Zampa.

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