Brisbane — Sarfraz Ahmed has become the second Pakistan player forced to return home this week in a troubled lead-up to Friday’s opening One-Day International against Australia in Brisbane.
Captain Azhar Ali confirmed Thursday that his team will be without their vice captain and wicketkeeper for the opening game at the Gabba and possibly this month’s entire five-match series.
Azhar said Sarfraz had gone back to Pakistan to be with his mother, who is in intensive care in hospital.
Mohammad Rizwan will take the gloves for the first day-night match and could remain in the side if Sarfraz does not return to Australia.
The news comes just days after fast bowler Mohammad Irfan also left the team following the death of his mother.
Pakistan has retained half the players who were involved in 3-0 Test series wipeout to Australia for the ODI part of their tour.
Azhar said the addition of some new faces and Tuesday’s 196-run thumping of a Cricket Australia XI in a one-day practice game in Brisbane had helped lift the team’s mood.
Australia leads Pakistan 33-16 head-to-head in Australia, including 15 wins in 19 ODIs this decade.
Chris Lynn and Billy Stanlake will make their limited overs debut for Australia.
Skipper Steve Smith said dynamic batsman Lynn and beanpole pace bowler Stanlake would start with Usman Khawaja and leg-spinner Adam Zampa left out of the first of five games against the visitors this month.
Allrounder Glenn Maxwell also returns for the first time in 13 matches, with the Australians opting for a pace attack of Stanlake, Mitchell Starc and Pat Cummins as well as medium-pace allrounders James Faulkner and Mitchell Marsh.
Pakistan to tour Windies
West Indies will host Pakistan for a two-month tour from March to May, playing three Tests and a series of limited over matches.
The West Indies Cricket Board said in a statement Wednesday that the competitive action would start March 31, with the first of two Twenty20 matches to be played in Trinidad and Tobago.
Rahane cracks 91
Skipper Ajinkya Rahane struck a dominating 91 to help India A trounce England XI by six wickets in the second 50-over warm-up match in Mumbai Thursday.
Chasing 283 for victory, India A rode on the 119-run opening stand with Rahane and Sheldon Jackson (59) to race to their target in 39.4 overs.
India A, which lost its opening game to the Eoin Morgan-led side Tuesday, made the English bowlers toil at Mumbai’s Brabourne Stadium.
Earlier opting to bat first, England was bowled out for 282 in 48.5 overs with Jonny Bairstow top-scoring with 64 runs. India off-spinner Pervez Rasool claimed three wickets. The two sides now head to Pune for the first of the three One-Day Internationals starting Sunday.
Brief Scores: England XI 282 all out in 48.5 overs (J. Bairstow 64, D. Willey 38 not out; P. Rasool 3-38). India A 283-4 in 39.4 overs (A. Rahane 91, R. Pant 59; M. Ali 1-46). — Agencies
