Australia and Pakistan ODI. (Source – Getty Images)
Australia (AUS) take on the visiting side Pakistan (PAK) in the first ODI of the three-match series, at the iconic Melbourne Cricket Ground in Melbourne, on Monday, November 04.
The home team is coming into this series on the back of a confident white-ball tour of England, where they played five ODIs and three T20Is against the arch-rivals. Under Mitchell Marsh’s captaincy, the side first drew the T20I series 1-1 and followed it up with a resounding 3-2 ODI series win.
In the ODIs, the Aussies dominated the first two games and were on the way to clinch the series. But the Three Lions weren’t an easy obstacle to face. The Harry Brook-led side came back with an impressive performance, particularly their skipper who scored a match-winning century to help the side with their first win of the series.
The English followed it up with another comfortable win, once again courtesy of their skipper Brook’s firm knock which did the job for them. In the fifth and deciding match, England were on the forefront of making history with a never thought comeback and were on the right track to do so. But the rain gods had a different plan, resulting in a halt in a game. The game ended with Australia registering a fitting 49-run win via the DLS method.
Meanwhile, Pakistan is making a return to this format after a gap of one year, with their last outing being in the ODI World Cup in 2023. With many leadership changes and management adjustments, the side has come up with a team that will be led by Mohammad Rizwan. The side also sees the return of many players who were excluded from the recent Test series against England.
With the team coming into the fray in good spirits and high confidence, the team will be hoping to make a mark in this format after a gap. Additionally, Pakistan who is praying for the ICC Champions Trophy 2025, is leaving no stone unturned for the global event.
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Match Details:
| Match | Venue | Date and Time | Live Streaming and Broadcast Details |
| Australia vs Pakistan, 1st ODI | Melbourne Cricket Ground, Melbourne | Monday, November 04, 9:00 AM IST | Star Sports network and Disney+ Hotstar (App and Website) |
Pitch Report
The track at MCG is known for giving both batters and bowlers a fair chance. Pacers will be effective with the new ball, while as the match progresses batters can score runs in the middle overs. The venue is also challenging due to its large boundaries, often making boundary scoring more difficult and requiring batters to rely on singles and doubles. With an average first-inning score of 221, the team will likely bat first at this historic ground.
Head-To-Head Record
| Matches | Won by Australia | Won by Pakistan | No Result | Tied | First-ever Fixture | Most-recent Fixture |
| 108 | 70 | 34 | 03 | 01 | 7 June, 1975 | 20 October, 2023 |
AUS vs PAK Playing XIs
West Indies
The hosts have announced their playing XI for the opening game and will see the return of skipper Pat Cummins after a gap of one year. Cummins who played his last 50-over game in the 2023 ODI World Cup is all set to come hard at the opposition batter. Meanwhile, promising youngster Jake Fraser-McGurk has also been included, with senior pros Travis Head and Mitchell Marsh unavailable due to paternity leaves. Furthermore, the side will be without pacer Josh Hazelwood for this game and Cummins will be supported by Mitchell Starc and Aaron Hardie in the fast bowling department.
Playing XI – Matt Short, Jake Fraser-McGurk, Steven Smith, Josh Inglis (wk), Marnus Labuschagne, Glenn Maxwell, Aaron Hardie, Sean Abbott, Pat Cummins (capt), Mitchell Starc, Adam Zampa.
Pakistan
Pakistan will also make a return to this format of the game after one year. The side also sees the appointment of Mohammad Rizwan as their new captain after star batter Babar Azam stepped down from the role. The Men in Green will field their experienced players, including Azam, Naseem Shah, Shaheen Shah Afridi, and Salman Ali Agha. Interstingly, Kamran Ghulam who had a brilliant Test debut against England will also be in the XI and make his return after almost 23 months.
Playing XI – Saim Ayub, Abdullah Shafique, Babar Azam, Mohammad Rizwan (c & wk), Kamran Ghulam, Salman Ali Agha, Irfan Khan, Shaheen Shah Afridi, Naseem Shah, Haris Rauf, Mohammad Hasnain.
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