Australia look to make amends in Dubai

OverviewPakistan v Australia2nd T20I
Friday 26 October, 08:00 PM (local), 04:00 PM (GMT)
Dubai International Cricket Stadium

It would be an understatement to say that Pakistan – the No.1 side on the MRF Tyres ICC T20I team rankings – were clinical in Abu Dhabi on Wednesday in the first of three T20Is. They thrashed Australia by 66 runs to draw first blood.

Australia's batsmen looked like fish out of water against the left-arm spin of Imad Wasim, but spin wasn't their only issue. Right-arm seamer Faheem Ashraf took two top-order wickets as well before Shaheen Afridi, the left-arm quick, helped blow the tail away with two scalps of his own.

Worryingly for Australia, not a single batsman in their top six got past 14. Nathan Coulter-Nile, the bowling all-rounder, was their top-scorer with 34 from No.8.

Australia could consider bringing back all-rounder Mitchell Marsh, who was rested for the first game, to bring some stability to the side. But apart from that, they don't have any other batting options in the squad.

They have plenty of high-quality bowling reserves – Mitchell Starc, Peter Siddle and Nathan Lyon didn't play the first match. Australia could consider making some changes in that department, although their bowling wasn't so much an issue in Abu Dhabi.

Billy Stanlake and Andrew Tye were exceptional, taking three wickets apiece. Spinners Ashton Agar and Adam Zampa did a reasonable job too. Only Coulter-Nile was expensive, conceding 42 off his four overs, but his ability with the bat means he lends crucial balance to the inexperienced outfit.

The selectors might want to slot in Starc in the XI, considering that apart from being a top-quality left-arm quick, he also has the skill to hit a long ball.

Pakistan won't have too many selection decisions to ponder, certainly not in the bowling department. Their batting looked solid at the top with Babar Azam (68*) and Mohammad Hafeez (39) stringing together a fine 73-run stand for the second wicket, but there wasn't much to write home about after that.

The likes of Asif Ali, Hussain Talat, Faheem Ashraf and captain Sarfraz Ahmed all suffered failures, but it would be a little harsh to judge them since they didn't have the luxury of time to get their eye in. If Australia can prise out early wickets, it will be interesting to see how the middle order then responds.

Key players

Aaron Finch (Australia): He may have fallen for a duck in the first T20I, but Finch is the No.1 ranked T20I batsman on the MRF Tyres ICC T20I Rankings for a reason. He is fully capable of turning things around, and as shown in the Tests, he can also tackle spin bowling well. After the failure in the first game, he will only be more motivated to excel.

Faheem Ashraf (Pakistan): The all-rounder has enjoyed much success in international cricket with his disciplined brand of right-arm seam bowling, and he took two top-order wickets in the first game. The 24-year-old is also a capable batsman, and Pakistan will want him to also contribute in that discipline, should the need arise.

Conditions

True to its usual self, Dubai weather on Friday is forecast to be hot and dry. As for the pitch, it tends to be conducive towards spin bowling, but fast bowlers too have enjoyed success on the wicket, thanks to an element of variable bounce. Batsmen will have to work hard for their runs.

Squads

Pakistan: Sarfraz Ahmed (c, wk), Shaheen Shah Afridi, Asif Ali, Hassan Ali, Faheem Ashraf, Babar Azam, Sahibzada Farhan, Mohammad Hafeez, Shadab Khan, Shoaib Malik, Waqas Maqsood, Usman Khan Shinwari, Hussain Talat, Imad Wasim, Fakhar Zaman

Australia: Aaron Finch (c), Mitch Marsh (vc), Alex Carey (vc), Ashton Agar, Nathan Coulter-Nile, Chris Lynn, Nathan Lyon, Glenn Maxwell, Ben McDermott, Darcy Short, Peter Siddle, Billy Stanlake, Mitch Starc, Andrew Tye, Adam Zampa