Pakistan Opt to Bowl Against Australia at Taunton

Pakistan have included paceman Shaheen Afridi, leaving out leg-spinner Shadab Khan.

(Photo: Twitter)

Pakistan skipper Sarfaraz Ahmed has won the toss and elected to bowl first against Australia in cool, overcast conditions at the County Ground in Taunton.

After back-to-back washouts on Days 12 and 13 of the Cricket World Cup, the group game on Wednesday is expected to start on time. There is the chance of rain on the forecast.

Australia made two changes to the XI that lost to India last Sunday after the injury-enforced absence of allrounder Marcus Stoinis. Shaun Marsh was called up to bat at No. 5 to strengthen the top order, and seamer Kane Richardson was picked ahead of wrist spinner Adam Zampa.

Pakistan made one change to the team that upset England, with paceman Shaheen Afridi coming in for Shadab Khan

Five-time champion Australia enters the Taunton match on an eight-game winning streak against Pakistan, and has won 14 of the last 15 head-to-head encounters.

Pakistan was bounced out for 105 in its opening loss to West Indies but rallied for a win over top-ranked England to end a run of 11 ODI losses.

Playing XI

Pakistan (Playing XI): Imam-ul-Haq, Fakhar Zaman, Babar Azam, Mohammad Hafeez, Sarfaraz Ahmed(w/c), Shoaib Malik, Asif Ali, Wahab Riaz, Hasan Ali, Shaheen Afridi, Mohammad Amir

Australia (Playing XI): David Warner, Aaron Finch(c), Shaun Marsh, Steven Smith, Usman Khawaja, Glenn Maxwell, Alex Carey(w), Nathan Coulter-Nile, Pat Cummins, Mitchell Starc, Kane Richardson