The green shirts to face host kangaroos on Sunday in a must win match to save the series while Australia intend to seal the series by winning at Sydney Cricket Ground.
Pakistan are in need of better displays in the field, as it is now patently clear their batsmen struggle to post the sorts of totals now commonly seen among the world’s more successful limited-overs sides. But there will be hope for their returning captain Azhar Ali that the SCG’s pitch can provide the conditions necessary for his spinners to replicate their work at the MCG, with plenty of help from Mohammad Amir and Junaid Khan.
Thirty years ago, Australia pushed past Pakistan on their home turf in Lahore to reach the tournament decider; Smith’s collective will want to ensure the final match of this series, in Adelaide on Australia Day, is anything but.
Team news
Mitchell Starc is back in Australia’s squad for the SCG, while Adam Zampa will also be pushing for inclusion for the first time in the series.
Australia (possible) 1 David Warner, 2 Usman Khawaja, 3 Steven Smith (capt), 4 Peter Handscomb, 5 Travis Head, 6 Glenn Maxwell, 7 Matthew Wade (wk), 8 James Faulkner, 9 Pat Cummins, 10 Mitchell Starc, 11 Adam Zampa.
Pakistan were led by Mohammad Hafeez at the MCG and the WACA, but Azhar Ali has recovered from the hamstring injury he suffered in Brisbane and will lead the side in Sydney. Azhar is likely to replace Asad Shafiq, who made only 13 and 5 in the second and third ODIs.
Pakistan (possible) 1 Azhar Ali (capt), 2 Sharjeel Khan, 3 Mohammad Hafeez, 4 Babar Azam, 5 Shoaib Malik, 6 Umar Akmal, 7 Mohammad Rizwan (wk), 8 Imad Wasim, 9 Mohammad Amir, 10 Junaid Khan, 11 Hasan Ali.
