Australia's Mahli Beardman, right, celebrates with teammate after the dismissal of Pakistan's Shadab Khan, left, during the first T20 cricket match between Pakistan and Australia, in Lahore, Pakistan, Thursday, Jan. 29, 2026. (AP Photo/K.M. Chaudary)
With the Australia team fielding three debutants while resting most of the big names who have travelled to Pakistan in the 1st T20I, former PAK cricketers and other experts are of the opinion that the Mitchell Marsh-led team weren’t really taking the series seriously.
Australia have already rested Pat Cummins, Josh Hazelwood, Tim David, Glenn Maxwell and Nathan Ellias for the series but the players who were available like skipper Marsh, Marcus Stoinis, Josh Inglish, Scott Abbott and Ben Dwarshuis, did not feature in the first match on Thursday.
“In recent times we have seen New Zealand, South Africa, Australia come with weakened teams to Pakistan. It is as if they are fulfilling their formality to play a series,” former Test captain, Moin Khan said.
“It is a bit perplexing coming to play a three match series so close to the World Cup and not fielding your best players when they have to play in similar conditions in the tournament,” former Test batter and chief selector, Haroon Rasheed said.
“They come here already without some of their main players and for the first match they don’t play their best players in the touring squad. I see it as an insult to Pakistan cricket fans,” cricket analyst and writer, Omair Alavi said.
On Thursday, Pakistan beat Australia in a Twenty20 for the first time in eight years. The comfortable 22-run win to open the three-match series pitted a full-strength Pakistan against an under-strength Australia just over a week out from the T20 World Cup.
The spin quartet of Saim Ayub, Abrar Ahmed, Shadab Khan and Mohammad Nawaz – all selected for the T20 World Cup — shared six wickets to restrict Australia to 146-8 in reply to Pakistan’s 168-8.
Ahmed led with 2-10 off four overs and Ayub’s two wickets included Australia stand-in captain Travis Head for a 13-ball 23.
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