Who Will Win Australia vs Pakistan 1st T20?
After winning the test series, Pakistan will now look to replicate their impressive performance in the shortest format as they get set to take on Australia in the three-match T20 international series. The first T20I is scheduled to be played on October 24 at the Sheikh Zayed Stadium in Abu Dhabi. Live telecast of the game will begin at 8 PM local time.
Pak vs Aus 1st T20: Where to Watch/Live Streaming
TV channels: Sony Six, Fox Sports, OSN Sports Cricket HD, Prime TV, SuperSport
Live Streaming: Bet365, SonyLIV, OSN Play, Foxtel Sports
Toss Prediction
The Sheikh Zayed Stadium has hosted 29 T20 internationals so far out of which 18 (including the most recently played four) have been won by the side bowling first. And also since the pitch is expected to remain unchanged after the first period of play, the team that wins the toss here is more likely to field first.
Read on for team previews, betting odds, betting tips and match prediction for Pak vs Aus 1st T20...
Pakistan Team News & Playing 11
PAK Team News
Pakistan have recalled batsman Babar Azam and allrounder Imad Wasim into their 15-man T20I squad as both these players have recovered from their respective injuries. Mohammad Hafeez has returned to the side and he is likely open the batting with Fakhar Zaman. The hosts have also included uncapped pace bowler Waqas Maqsood owing to his impressive performances at the domestic level while leaving out Haris Sohail and an out-of-rhythm Mohammad Amir.
PAK Key Players
Fakhar Zaman is currently the world's second-best T20 batsman. The opener scored 94 and 66 in the respective innings of the second test and he will look to bring that form into the shortest format. Babar Azam is averaging over 50 in T20Is and he is another key batsman for Pakistan at the top. Shoaib Malik is the leading run-getter for the team in this format and the middle order will rely heavily on him. In terms of bowling, the hosts will look to the likes of Shadab Khan, Hasan Ali and Imad Wasim to do the job. Hasan Ali has five wickets in two T20Is at this ground and he is a top candidate to provide the early breakthroughs. Shadab and Imad are also expected to cause problems for the Australian batsmen on this spin-friendly surface.
PAK Recent Form
Pakistan have been in red-hot form when it comes to T20 cricket. They have played 13 T20 internationals so far this year and have won 11 of those. Their most recent T20I assignment came in July. It was a tri-series in Zimbabwe that also involved Australia, and Pakistan went all the way to win that series. The Sarfraz Ahmed-led side are coming into this series having won each of their last nine T20 series.
Pakistan Predicted Playing 11
Fakhar Zaman, Mohammad Hafeez, Babar Azam, Asif Ali, Shoaib Malik, Sarfraz Ahmed (c/wk), Shadab Khan, Imad Wasim, Usman Khan, Hasan Ali, Shaheen Afridi
Australia Team News & Playing 11
AUS Team News
Explosive batsman Chris Lynn has recovered from his shoulder injury and he has been named in Australia's 15-man T20I squad. Aaron Finch will be leading the team for this T20 international series and he will probably open the batting alongside D’Arcy Short with Lynn coming in at number three. Fast bowler Nathan Coulter-Nile and off-spinner Nathan Lyon are two other players to make a comeback into this Australian T20 side. Uncapped batsman Ben McDermott who had an impressive JLT One-Day Cup has also earned a call-up and is likely to make his debut on Wednesday.
AUS Key Players
Aaron Finch is the number one T20 batsman in the world. He has scored the most runs for Australia in the twenty-over format after David Warner and it will be very difficult for the Pakistani bowlers to stop him once he gets into his groove. Chris Lynn and Glenn Maxwell are also explosive batsmen and the visitors should find themselves in a strong position if these two get going. With the ball, it will be up to Andrew Tye, Billy Stanlake and Adam Zampa to deliver the goods. Tye is sixth on the ICC T20I rankings for bowlers and he has taken the most wickets for Australia in this format from the current squad. Zampa seems to be their best spin option at the moment and he is likely to generate decent turn on this wicket. Stanlake has been a revelation for his side in white-ball cricket and he could dent Pakistan's batting by striking early.
AUS Recent Form
Australia have won nine and lost three out of the twelve T20 internationals they have played this year. They won the Trans-Tasman Twenty20 Tri-Series involving England and New Zealand earlier this year in February. They then lost a one-off T20 international in England before losing to Pakistan in the final of the tri-series in Zimbabwe. Australia played their last 20-over game on Monday against the UAE as preparation for this series and they won that match quite comfortably.
Australia Predicted Playing 11
D'Arcy Short, Aaron Finch (c), Chris Lynn, Glenn Maxwell, Ben McDermott, Alex Carey (wk), Ashton Agar, Nathan Coulter-Nile, Andrew Tye, Billy Stanlake, Adam Zampa
Oct 24, 2018
21:30 IST / 16:00 GMT
Sheikh Zayed Stadium - Abu Dhabi, United Arab Emirates
PAK vs AUS 
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