Australia vs Pakistan, 1st Test 2019, Key Players: Steve Smith, Naseem Shah, David Warner and Other Cricketers to Watch Out for in Brisbane
Australia’s last assignment in whites was a fruitful one as they managed to draw Ashes 2019 in England and retained the Ashes urn. While Pakistan’s last Test series came against South Africa which they lost 3-0. Nevertheless, they will be starting their campaign in the ICC World Test Championships and will seek to put an improved performance.
After a clinical performance in the T20I series, Australia will take on Pakistan in the first of the two-match Test series at Brisbane. The match will be played on November 21 and will start at 5:30 am (IST) and 10:00 am (local time). The result of the series might look inevitable as Australia have again become a formidable force after the return of David Warner and Steve Smith and were in red-hot form in their last T20I series against Pakistan and Sri Lanka. However, Pakistan’s young pacers like Shaheen Afridi and Naseem Shah bowled with hostility in the tour matches and will aim to replicate that in Test matches as well. Australia Vs Pakistan, Cricket Score 1st Test Match.
Australia’s last assignment in whites was a fruitful one as they managed to draw Ashes 2019 in England and retained the Ashes urn. While Pakistan’s last Test series came against South Africa which they lost 3-0. Nevertheless, they will be starting their campaign in the ICC World Test Championships and will seek to put an improved performance. After the sacking of Sarfaraz Ahmed, Azhar Ali will lead the Test side and will aim to make a difference. The hosts might look firm favourites to clinch the encounters but the ‘unpredictable’ Pakistan cannot be taken lightly. So, as the first AUS vs PAK Test takes a countdown, let’s look at five key players who can shine in Brisbane. Australia vs Pakistan Head-to-Head Record in Tests: Ahead of AUS vs PAK 1st Test 2019.
Steve Smith
The number one-ranked Test batsman scored 774 runs in Ashes 2019 and was also the Man of the series in the recently concluded T20I series against Pakistan. So, Smith is in some serious form and will certainly be the biggest threat to the opposition. The right-handed batsman needs 27 runs in next six innings to become the fastest batsman to reach 7000 Test runs and going by his recent performances, he can achieve the landmark in the first match itself.
Naseem Shah
The 16-year old speedster bowled some staggering spells in the Tour matches and became an overnight sensation. Naseem is a right-arm pacer who can set the speed gun on fire and is set to make his debut in the first Test. The Brisbane wicket has traditionally favoured the pacers and if the youngster can exploit the conditions well, he can be a serious force to reckon with.
Babar Azam
Pakistan might have lost the T20I series but Azam scored two half-centuries in three matches and displayed his ability to play in the bouncy track. The right-handed batsman will aim to extend his good form to the longest format of the game and pile up some big scores in the Test series. He generally comes into bat at number five and will be challenged to face Nathan Lyon with the old ball.
Pat Cummins
The right-arm pacer is enjoying a purple patch and is also at the pinnacle of the Test bowler’s rankings. He was also sensational in Ashes 2019 where he bagged 24 wickets in five Tests and was the leading wicket-taker of the series. It will be interesting to see, how much destruction Cummins will cause when he will bowl with this sort of form in the pace-friendly wicket of Brisbane.
David Warner
The southpaw had a forgettable outing in Ashes 2019 as he scored mere 95 runs in ten innings. However, he made a scintillating comeback in the T20I series against Sri Lanka and Pakistan. Warner smashed the bowlers to all the parts of the ground and looked at his prime. He will aim to put a paddle on his good run and pile a mountain of runs in the first Test too.
With the ICC World Test Championship being underway, the upcoming series will be crucial for both the teams to go up in the points table standings. The Aussies are currently holding the fourth spot in the standings while Pakistan are yet to open their account. So, a lot will be in stakes when these two sides will tussle in the first Test and let’s see which side comes on top.
(The above story first appeared on LatestLY on Nov 20, 2019 05:50 PM IST. For more news and updates on politics, world, sports, entertainment and lifestyle, log on to our website latestly.com).