New Delhi: Travis Head is set to lead Australia in the first T20I match against Pakistan, which will be played at the Gaddafi Stadium in Lahore on Thursday,
January 29. He will captain the side in the absence of Mitchell Marsh, who is expected to be rested for the match.
According to CODE Sports, Marsh and Josh Inglis are unlikely to play in the series opener after arriving in Pakistan on Wednesday. Both players have featured in the Big Bash League final between the Perth Scorchers and Sydney Sixers on Sunday.
In Marsh’s absence, Head will step up as the Australian captain, who only led the team once during a T20I match against England in Cardiff in 2024. Pat Cummins, Josh Hazlewood, Tim David and Nathan Ellis will not be available for the series against Pakistan, while Glenn Maxwell has been rested ahead of the 2026 T20 World Cup, which will begin in India and Sri Lanka on February 7.
For Pakistan, Shaheen Shah Afridi has returned to the side since being sidelined from the Big Bash League last month due to a knee ligament injury, while Babar Azam also included in the team despite a poor campaign in the BBL. He scored 202 runs in 11 innings at a strike rate of 103.06. Salman Ali Agha will lead the team in the three-match series, while Usman Khan is also in the squad.
Australia, Pakistan squad for T20I series
Pakistan: Salman Ali Agha (capt), Abrar Ahmed, Babar Azam, Faheem Ashraf, Fakhar Zaman, Khawaja Nafay, Mohammad Nawaz, Salman Mirza, Mohammad Wasim, Naseem Shah, Sahibzada Farhan, Saim Ayub, Shaheen Shah Afridi, Shadab Khan, Usman Khan, Usman Tariq.
Australia: Mitch Marsh (c), Sean Abbott, Xavier Bartlett, Mahli Beardman, Cooper Connolly, Ben Dwarshuis, Jack Edwards, Cameron Green, Travis Head, Josh Inglis, Matthew Kuhnemann, Mitch Owen, Josh Philippe, Matthew Renshaw, Matt Short, Marcus Stonis, Adam Zampa.
