Pakistan more threatening in ODI arena

Match Facts

Friday, January 22, the Gabba
Start time 1325 (0325 GMT)

The Big Picture

After the three Tests come the five ODIs and a Twenty20 to complete Pakistan's tour. While the opening segment of the trip ended in a 3-0 victory for Australia, the limited-overs arrangements will be much more competitive.

Despite the result, Pakistan's squad became more united as the tour went on and they have received some key reinforcements, with Younis Khan and Shahid Afridi added to the unit. The tourists have also troubled Australia in their most recent engagements and their fast-bowling unit, which includes Mohammad Aamer, will worry the hosts at times. Australia won a tight series in the UAE 3-2 last year and the teams also ran into each other at the Champions Trophy, when Australia sneaked home by two wickets.

This series will be an important gauge of the popularity of the 50-over game. Twenty20 crowds have been huge for the domestic Big Bash and five-match head-to-head series against Pakistan and West Indies will test Australia's love affair with the format that began here in the 1970s.

Form guide (most recent first)

Australia NWWWL
Pakistan LLWLL

Watch out for...

Younis Khan is back after resigning the captaincy and Pakistan are glad to have his services. One of the game's finest batsmen, Younis averages 33.12 over 197 ODIs and will bring some much-needed experience to the young line-up. He won't be captain - that job is still Mohammad Yousuf's - but he will be leading from the front.

Shane Watson has just come off the best Test campaign of his career, with 609 runs in six Tests, and it will be interesting to see whether that form translates back to the one-day arena. It was his performances at the Champions Trophy and in India that set up his fine summer. He will be a main man with bat and ball as he returns to an old home ground.

Team news

The Australians have picked their 12 and the only tricky decision is whether to leave out a batsman or the allrounder James Hopes, who is only in the squad for the first game. Ricky Ponting is keen for Nathan Hauritz to continue to build on the momentum he picked up during the Test summer and with Mitchell Johnson resting, there are only three front-line fast men in Clint McKay, Peter Siddle and Doug Bollinger. Despite Shane Watson's heavy five-day campaign, Ponting expects him to deliver 10 overs as well as open the batting with Shaun Marsh.

Australia (probable) 1 Shane Watson, 2 Shaun Marsh, 3 Ricky Ponting (capt), 4 Michael Hussey, 5 Michael Clarke, 6 Cameron White, 7 Brad Haddin (wk), 8 Nathan Hauritz, 9 Clint McKay, 10 Peter Siddle, 11 Doug Bollinger, 12 James Hopes.

Things are less clear for Pakistan, who are lugging around a 17-man squad. Expect Kamran Akmal to return, more for his power hitting as an opener than his glovework, after he was dropped for the third Test in Hobart. The final bowling place appears to be between Rana Naved-ul-Hasan, who has been playing for Tasmania in the Big Bash, and Umar Gul. Younis and Afridi come back to offer some serious strike power.

Pakistan (possible) 1 Salman Butt, 2 Kamran Akmal (wk), 3 Younis Khan, 4 Mohammad Yousuf (capt), 5 Umar Akmal, 6 Shoaib Malik, 7 Shahid Afridi, 8 Umar Gul, 9 Mohammad Asif, 10 Mohammed Aamer, 11 Saeed Ajmal.

Pitch and conditions

The Gabba has been excellent for batting during the domestic Twenty20 matches over the past month and whoever wins the toss will want to set a big target. In the early overs of the second innings the ball can swing as darkness falls, making life harder for the run-makers, and the extra bounce will take the Pakistanis some time to adjust to. The weather is expected to be fine throughout Friday, with a top of 32C.

Stats and trivia

• Australia and Pakistan have two wins each in five head-to-head contests at the Gabba, with one game rained out.
• Pakistan have won six and lost seven of their 14 matches at the ground while Australia have been successful 14 times in 31 appearances.
• The tourists own the lowest score at the Gabba in an ODI after managing 71 against West Indies in 1992-93.
• Dean Jones has the most runs in Brisbane with 513, while Ricky Ponting is the best of the current group with 324.
• Shoaib Akhtar's 5 for 25 in 2002 equalled the best figures at the ground for an ODI.

Quotes

"If you read through their side, it looks a better team on paper than their Test team does. Guys like Afridi and Rana are very experienced and have been match-winners. Their one-day side does look particularly strong."
Ricky Ponting

"It's the best team we are playing against. We will give some fight, we have a young side, and I'm happy with it."
Mohammad Yousuf