4th ODI: Aaron Finch eyes history, Pakistan a way to win
Australia claimed an unassailable 3-0 lead in the five-match ODI series over Pakistan earlier this week, and now face the hosts in game four on Friday in Dubai with a chance to inflict more pain.
Aaron Finch missed making history when he was dismissed for 90 in the third ODI, after scoring successive hundreds in the first two games. But he could become the first Australian batsman to register three hundreds in a bilateral ODI series.
Pakistan have been let down by their bowlers more than the batsmen, with each combination tried resulting in three defeats. After three losses in a row, avoiding a whitewash is the goal but where will Shoaib Malik’s team find the momentum from?
Match details:
What: Pakistan vs Australia, 4th ODI
When: Friday, March 29, 2019
Where: Dubai International Cricket Stadium
Time: 16:30 IST
Team news
Pakistan
Shoaib Malik and Mickey Arthur have regularly made changes, so it could be time for Abid Ali to make his ODI debut as an opener.
Likely XI: 1 Imam-ul-Haq, 2 Shan Masood/Abid Ali, 3 Umar Akmal, 4 Haris Sohail, 5 Shoaib Malik (capt), 6 Mohammad Rizwan (wk), 7 Imad Wasim, 8 Mohammad Amir 9 Yasir Shah, 10 Usman Shinwari, 11 Mohammad Hasnain
Australia
With Pat Cummins sent home to rest ahead of the World Cup, Australia have just three fast men to choose from for the final two ODIs: Nathan Coulter-Nile, Jason Behrendorff and Kane Richardson.
Likely XI: 1 Usman Khawaja, 2 Aaron Finch (cap), 3 Shaun Marsh, 4 Peter Handscomb, 5 Glenn Maxwell, 6 Marcus Stoinis, 7 Alex Carey (wk), 8 Nathan Coulter-Nile, 9 Kane Richardson/Jason Behrendorff, 10 Nathan Lyon, 11 Adam Zampa
Pitch and conditions
Over the past few years, the Dubai pitch has played slow and low. During the last series played there – the 2018 Asia Cup – teams batting first made 222, 252, 237, 173, 162, 285, 116 and 261. Spin had a say in every game.
Stats
With 359 runs in three innings on tour, with two games left, Finch needs 28 runs to beat David Warner’s record for the most runs score by an Australian in a five-match ODI series.
Quotes
“Winning is the most important thing and being able to contribute to that with the bat is obviously important, and it makes you feel better.” – Finch