Unexpectedly, a weather-related incident in Canberra caused Pakistan preparation for the next Test series against Australia to be shortened.
On Friday night, there was a strong electrical storm that caused devastation with gusts of up to 55 km/h. The storm also caused heavy rains to fall. Because of the fallout, there was a safety check on Saturday morning, which led to the cancellation of the match against the Prime Minister’s XI, which ended in a tie.
The interruption left the top-order batsmen for Pakistan with little time to prepare for the pivotal Test in Perth. The squad took solace in the encouraging performances of star player Babar Azam and new skipper Shan Masood during their stay in Canberra, despite this defeat.
With Hasan Ali, Mohammad Wasim, and Shaheen Shah Afridi anticipated to be chosen in the eleven after a spell of rest, Pakistan’s bowling lineup is likely to see major changes in the near future. The team may turn to 37-year-old Noman Ali for spin due to an injury that legspinner Abrar Ahmed sustained in the same game against PM XI.
The first Test team for Australia appears to be coming together, with talks centered on who would replace opener David Warner once he retires following the Pakistan series. Following his undefeated 136, Matt Renshaw was denied the chance to further impress selectors due to the recent cancellation of the match in Canberra. Concurrently, competitors Marcus Harris, Cameron Bancroft, and Cameron Green failed to turn their opening-day singles into noteworthy runs.
PM’s XI captain Nathan McSweeney praised Renshaw’s knock for his restraint and referred to it as a “pure Test innings.” He acknowledged that selectors will have difficult decisions to make, but he expressed satisfaction at not having to choose Warner’s replacement.
“It was easy to get frustrated out there with some shots you thought should go for four and you’re getting two for it, so the mental strength for him to face as many balls as he did was impressive,” McSweeney was said to have stated by ESPNcricinfo
“I guess that puts him in good stead; the other guys have all batted well, too, so good luck to the selectors.”
“They all have been [ready for tests] for a while; they’re all quality players who continue to churn out runs in Shield cricket; I don’t think there’s a bad decision to be made.”
The first-ever encounter between Australia and Pakistan is scheduled to take place at Perth Stadium on December 14. Australians would want to continue being the best, but the Pakistani side, under the new captain, would be keen to change the game and make history.
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