Pak-Australia first ODI today

SHARJAH: Australian skipper Aaron Finch hopes his team carry the momentum of a series win in India to their five-match series against Pakistan starting in Sharjah from Friday.

The Pakistan series is the last chance for Australia to fill any gapes before they defend their title in the World Cup starting in UK from May 30.

Pakistan are also in the build-up for the World Cup, having rested six key players — skipper Sarfraz Ahmed, Babar Azam, Fakhar Zaman, Shadab Khan, Hasan Ali and Shaheen Shah Afridi — to get them fresh for the mega event.

But Finch is not ready to take a new-look Pakistan lightly. “I think Pakistan has obviously played in these conditions for a long time,” said Finch of Pakistan who have not beaten Australia in a bilateral series since 2002, losing the last five series.

Pakistan also have just one win against Australia from the last ten one-day internationals.

Pakistan are likely to give a one-day cap to opener Shan Masood after a good Test series in South Africa while either 18-year-old Mohammad Hasnain or Mohammad Abbas will supplement Mohammad Amir, Junaid Khan and Faheem Ashraf in the pace attack.

Finch hopes his team keeps improving. “It is about trying to maintain our momentum that we got in India,” said Finch of the 3-2 come from behind win earlier this month — Australia’s first series win in India since 2009.

The win in India — after six consecutive one-day series defeats — was a boost for the Australia team who lost two key players — skipper Steven Smith and opener David Warner — to bans for ball tampering last year.

“I think since we played South Africa in Australia we have got better and better,” said Finch of the 2-1 series defeat in November las year.

“I think we are starting to get a real clear strategy in a real game plan and how we want to play one-day cricket and it is just about making sure that we continue in that way.”

Smith and Warner were available for the last two one-day matches of this series after their one-year bans expire on March 29 but they were reintegrated with the team in United Arab Emirates (UAE) before leaving to play in the Indian Premier League. “We cannot take them lightly in any form of the game at any time. They are a highly skilled and talented team and so we are definitely giving them as much respect as what we gave India,” said Finch. Pakistan’s stand-in skipper Shoaib Malik is confident conditions in UAE — where Pakistan have been playing their home matches since 2009 attacks on the Sri Lankan team bus in Lahore — will favour his team. “Every series is tough but it’s a good opportunity for young players,” said Malik. “Australia will be high on morale but we should have an advantage of the conditions.”

The remaining matches will be played in Sharjah (March 24), Abu Dhabi (March 27) and Dubai (March 29 and 31).

Squads (from): Pakistan: Shoaib Malik (captain), Abid Ali, Faheem Ashraf, Haris Sohail, Imad Wasim, Imam-ul-Haq, Junaid Khan, Mohammad Abbas, Mohammad Amir, Mohammad Hasnain, Mohammad Rizwan, Saad Ali, Shan Masood, Umar Akmal, Usman Shinwari, Yasir Shah

Australia: Aaron Finch (captain), Usman Khawaja, Shaun Marsh, Peter Handscomb, Glenn Maxwell, Ashton Turner, Marcus Stoinis, Alex Carey, Pat Cummins, Nathan Coulter-Nile, Jhye Richardson, Kane Richardson, Jason Behrendorff, Nathan Lyon, Adam Zampa

Umpires: Michael Gough (ENG) and Ahsan Raza (PAK)

Tv umpire: Kumar Dharmasena (SRI)

Match referee: Jeff Crowe (NZL).