PAK vs AUS 2026: Australia name three debutants in Playing XI for first T20I

Australia have named their Playing XI for the series-opening first T20I against Pakistan on Thursday, January 29, which will be played at the Gaddafi Stadium in Lahore. Travis Head will be leading the side in the absence of Mitchell Marsh. Meanwhile, the Aussies have also named three debutants in their line-up for the encounter – Matthew Renshaw, Mahli Beardman, and Jack Edwards, all rewarded for BBL showings.

Notably, Marsh has been rested for the series opener due to his late arrival in Pakistan, allowing him to rest a little and recover from the jet lag before turning up fresh for the second encounter. On the other hand, Pat Cummins, Josh Hazlewood, and Tim David continue to remain unavailable due to their respective injuries.

"The boys are looking forward to it. This is a big block of cricket for us, so we are focused on starting well. [Three debutants] Yeah, a few new guys - Beardman, Renshaw, and Jack Edwards. All three are coming off a good Big Bash season, so their confidence is high. It's always exciting to have players debut, and our job is to make sure it's an enjoyable experience for them. [Preparation for World Cup here] Definitely. Sri Lanka has traditionally been a bit tougher, so we have to be ready for anything. We talked about being adaptable as soon as we arrived and saw the surface. We're looking forward to getting first use of it; hopefully, some moisture comes in later so we can play well," Head explained.

Australia Playing XI: Travis Head (c), Matthew Short, Cameron Green, Matthew Renshaw, Cooper Connolly, Mitchell Owen, Josh Philippe, Jack Edwards, Xavier Bartlett, Adam Zampa, Mahli Beardman

Pakistan go with eight batters

The Men in Green stayed patient, and it was confirmed that their final line-up for the clash would be revealed at the toss. When the toss eventually happened, Pakistan skipper Salman Ali Agha named a star-studded line-up for the series opener which also features star batter Babar Azam. With a strong batting order and a combination of a young and experienced bowling attack, the hosts took centre stage in Lahore.

"This is a typical Lahore pitch. There isn't a lot of bounce, and I expect it to spin like a dry track. I think there will be less turn in the first innings, but it should offer more assistance for the spinners as the game progresses. [Struggle against Australia] We know that and we are ready for it. We have a very good side as well. We just want to execute our plans across the full 40 overs. If we do that, we'll be in a good position. [Team Selection] We have eight batting options and six or seven bowling options, but we are playing two frontline fast bowlers today," Agha said.

Pakistan Playing XI: Sahibzada Farhan, Saim Ayub, Babar Azam, Salman Ali Agha, Fakhar Zaman, Usman Khan, Shadab Khan, Shaheen Shah Afridi, Salman Mirza, and Abrar Ahmed