AUS vs PAK 2nd Test LIVE: In a crucial move ahead of the Boxing Day Test, Pakistan’s captain, Shan Masood, won the toss and chose to bowl against Australia at the Melbourne Cricket Ground (MCG). The decision came as rain loomed over the iconic venue, threatening to impact the opening day of the highly anticipated match.
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With overcast conditions prevailing and a surface boasting a modest six-seven millimeters of grass, Masood led a revamped Pakistan attack, aiming to make early breakthroughs.
Expecting lateral movement from the pitch, Shan Masood expressed confidence in his team’s ability to capitalize on the challenging conditions. In contrast, Australia’s captain, Pat Cummins, mentioned that he would have opted to bowl first had he won the toss.
Shan Masood calls correctly and OUR Aussie men will be batting first on Boxing Day! #AUSvPAK pic.twitter.com/tkz8hSi1gH
— Cricket Australia (@CricketAus) December 25, 2023
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AUS vs PAK 2nd Test: Pakistan make changes
Pakistan, facing a 360-run defeat in the first Test, made strategic changes, leaving out off spinner Sajid Khan in favor of an all-out pace attack. Hasan Ali and left-armer Mir Hamza joined the lineup, supporting the formidable duo of Shaheen Shah Afridi and Aamer Jamal. Mohammad Rizwan returned as the wicketkeeper, replacing Sarfaraz Ahmed, who played in the previous match.
Seamer Khurram Shahzad, who showcased an energetic debut performance in the first Test, has been ruled out of the tour due to a rib fracture. Additionally, allrounder Faheem Ashraf was dropped from the squad.
Australia, maintaining a full-strength lineup, made no changes, leaving no room for seamer Scott Boland, despite his impressive Test record at the MCG with an average of 13.80.
Heavy rain has persisted in Melbourne over the past 48 hours, with more showers and potential thunderstorms forecasted for the afternoon on day one. However, the weather is expected to improve as the match progresses.
Despite the uncertain weather conditions, a substantial crowd of 70,000 fans is anticipated at the MCG for the Boxing Day Test, marking one of the highlight events in the Australian cricket summer.
Team Lineups:
Australia:
David Warner
Usman Khawaja
Marnus Labuschagne
Steven Smith
Travis Head
Mitchell Marsh
Alex Carey (wk)
Mitchell Starc
Pat Cummins (capt)
Nathan Lyon
Josh Hazlewood
Pakistan:
Abdullah Shafique
Imam-ul-Haq
Shan Masood (capt)
Babar Azam
Saud Shakeel
Mohammad Rizwan (wk)
Agha Salman
Hasan Ali
Aamer Jamal
Shaheen Shah Afridi
Mir Hamza
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