Pakistan won the toss and elected to bat first in the opening T20I against Australia at the Gaddafi Stadium in Lahore on January 29, 2026. The series consists of three matches and serves as the final preparation for both teams ahead of the T20 World Cup 2026 in India and Sri Lanka. The matches are scheduled for January 29, January 31, and February 1, with all games commencing at 4 pm PKT.
Salman Agha is captaining Pakistan. Travis Head is leading Australia in the first T20I, as Mitchell Marsh is being rested. Marsh and Josh Inglis arrived in Pakistan just 48 hours after participating in the Big Bash League final. Several key Australian players, including Pat Cummins, Josh Hazlewood, Tim David, Nathan Ellis, and Glenn Maxwell, are not participating in this series.
Pakistan's playing XI includes Sahibzada Farhan, Saim Ayub, Babar Azam, Salman Agha, Fakhar Zaman, Usman Khan, Shadab Khan, Mohammad Nawaz, Shaheen Afridi, Salman Mirza, and Abrar Ahmed. Australia's playing XI features Travis Head, Matthew Short, Cameron Green, Matt Renshaw, Cooper Connolly, Mitchell Owen, Josh Philippe, Jack Edwards, Xavier Bartlett, Adam Zampa, and Mahli Beardman. Xavier Bartlett, Jack Edwards and Mahli Beardman are making their T20I debuts for Australia.
Babar Azam's performance is under scrutiny after his stint in the Big Bash League, where he scored 202 runs for the Sydney Sixers with a strike rate of 103.06. Pakistan is aiming to settle its batting order and avenge their 3-0 loss to Australia during their tour in late 2024. Australia is focused on fine-tuning their bench strength in subcontinental conditions.
The Pakistan Cricket Board (PCB) promoted the series with a promotional video that subtly referenced the Asia Cup handshake controversy with India. The series provides an opportunity for both teams to adapt to the conditions in Lahore, where spin-friendly pitches are expected to play a significant role.
In the opening match, Sahibzada Farhan was dismissed for 0, with Pakistan's score at 26/1. Australia has a strong head-to-head record against Pakistan, including a 3-0 series win in November 2024.
