Pakistan vs Australia 2018, 2nd Test – Dream11 Fantasy Tips

The Pakistan Cricket Team has failed to live up to their potential of late as they were knocked out of the Asia Cup without making it to the final and drew the first Test in Dubai against Australia which they should have won. The Sarfraz Ahmed-led team took a defensive approach in the first Test as they scored runs really slow despite the playing conditions being pretty decent for batting.

Australia, on the other hand, are still looking for their first win under Tim Paine’s captaincy in any format. The previous game was the first time Paine ensured his team did not lose in any game he has captained. However, they will need to work hard in the final game to register their first Test series win in Asia since 2011.

Match Details:

The second Test match between Pakistan and Australia will be hosted at the Sheikh Zayed Stadium in Abu Dhabi.

The match starts at 10:00 AM local time (6:00 AM GMT and 11:30 AM IST).

Last five Test matches:

• Pakistan: D, L, W, W, L.
• Australia: D, L, L, L, W.

Pitch Condition/Report:

Two days ahead of the game, the pitch was covered with grass. However, 24 hours before the game, the grass coverage was shaved and the pitch is exposed under the sun. This hints that the pitch could be on the dry side which will assist the slower bowlers as the first game that was played on an absolute belter failed to produce a result.

Squads:

Pakistan: Sarfraz Ahmed (C), Azhar Ali, Fakhar Zaman, Imam-ul-Haq, Babar Azam, Asad Shafiq, Haris Sohail, Usman Salahuddin, Yasir Shah, Shadab Khan, Bilal Asif, Mohammad Abbas, Hasan Ali, Wahab Riaz, Faheem Ashraf, Mir Hamza, Mohammad Rizwan, Mohammad Hafeez.

Australia: Tim Paine (C), Ashton Agar, Brendan Doggett, Aaron Finch, Travis Head, Jon Holland, Usman Khawaja, Marnus Labuschagne, Nathan Lyon, Mitchell Marsh, Shaun Marsh, Michael Neser, Matt Renshaw, Peter Siddle, Mitchell Starc.

Probable XI:

Pakistan: Sarfraz Ahmed (C), Fakhar Zaman, Mohammad Hafeez, Azhar Ali, Haris Sohail, Babar Azam, Asad Shafiq, Mir Hamza/Shadab Khan, Bilal Asif, Mohammad Abbas, Yasir Shah.

Australia: Tim Paine (C), Aaron Finch, Travis Head, Usman Khawaja, Matt Renshaw, Mitchell Marsh, Shaun Marsh, Nathan Lyon, Michael Neser, Peter Siddle/Mitchell Starc, Jon Holland.

Power Picks:

Mohammad Hafeez, Yasir Shah and Mohammad Abbas will be main picks from the Pakistan team. Usman Khawaja’s late success in Asia makes him a key player for the visiting side. Nathan Lyon did bowl better than the numbers suggested in the first Test and would want to find better help from the pitch.

Best Playing XI:

Tim Paine, Azhar Ali, Asad Shafiq, Haris Sohail, Aaron Finch, Usman Khawaja, Mohammad Hafeez, Bilal Asif, Yasir Shah, Mohammad Abbas, Nathan Lyon.

Captain and Vice-Captain Selection:

Mohammad Hafeez will be the ideal choice for Captain or at least Vice-Captain as the all-rounder opens the innings in the conditions without any movement for the pacers with the new ball. Hafeez will also have a chance of bowling at as many as four left-handed batsmen in the Australian top-order.

Yasir Shah might have gone wicket-less in the first innings in the Dubai Test but returned to his flow on the final day where he claimed a 4-wicket haul. He could be a threat alongside Mohammad Abbas who has developed into an all conditions bowler.

Expert Advice:

Azhar Ali is a crucial player in the current Pakistan line-up and will be hoping to find some form having failed to get big runs under his belt recently. The top-order batsman had good success in the County Championship with Somerset and one good inning that could make a difference for him. Australia is set to rest of one of Mitchell Starc and Peter Siddle owing their workload.

Probable Winners:

Pakistan is expected to win the final Test and seal the series on what is expected to be a track that has a lot more to offer to the spinners. Australia can certainly not be ruled out of the game given the way they fought in the previous Test match.

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