LAHORE: (Yaseen Hashmi) Pakistan won the toss and chose to bat first against Australia in the second T20I over at Gaddafi Stadium on Friday with both teams making various adjustments to their teams after the series debut.
Pakistan captain Salman Ali Agha became the second winner of the toss in successive matches and chose to bat first on a dry Lahore surface that promised to be batters friendly in the early stages of the match. Pakistan had three substitutes to that side that played in the inaugural T20I. Shaheen Shah Afridi, Salman Ali Mirza and Fakhar Zaman had been dropped and Naseem Shah, Mohammad Ashraf and Usman Tariq were included in the playing XI.
The alterations are an indication to the fact that Pakistan is planning to develop the bowling attack and provide the middle order with some depth as it continues to pick up in the short series.
Australia, who lost the first game to the host country, also changed three players in the quest to make a comeback. The second T20I was to be the first game led by Mitchell Marsh. Wicketkeeper-batter Josh Inglis and spinner Matthew Kuhnemann were added to the team, and George Philip, Jack Edwards and Mitchell Owen were omitted.
The game at Gaddafi Stadium is one of the series being strongly followed bilaterally as the two teams keep on practicing towards international tournaments, trial and turnover of the squads is also a major concern among the team administrations.
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