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Australia bring in Connolly for Sangha and bat in decider

Ronav Bailey · · 2 min read

Australia bring in Connolly for Sangha and bat in decider

Australia won the toss and elected to bat in the third ODI, which will decide the series, against Pakistan at the Gaddafi Stadium in Lahore. The toss was postponed by 15 minutes due to a heavy shower, exactly an hour before the scheduled toss.

Australia made one change to their side, bringing in Cooper Connolly in place of Tanveer Sangha, while Pakistan went unchanged. Though this match was being played on a fresh pitch, both the captains expected it to continue to favour spinners.

Josh Inglis said, referring to the last game when Australia’s 231 proved to be too much for Pakistan, It will be similar to last night and we had a good total. Shaheen Shah Afridi, meanwhile, said that his bowlers will look to restrict Australia to under 200. They had limited Australia to exactly 200 in the first ODI in Rawalpindi and went on to chase that total comfortably with five wickets in hand.

Team Lineups

Pakistan: 1 Sahibzada Farhan, 2 Maaz Sadaqat, 3 Babar Azam, 4 Ghazi Ghori (wk), 5 Salman Ali Agha, 6 Abdul Samad, 7 Shadab Khan, 8 Arafat Minhas, 9 Shaheen Shah Afridi (capt), 10 Haris Rauf, 11 Abrar Ahmed

Australia: 1 Matt Short, 2 Josh Inglis (capt & wk), 3 Marnus Labuschagne, 4 Alex Carey, 5 Cameron Green, 6 Matt Renshaw, 7 Cooper Connolly, 8 Oliver Peake, 9 Matt Kuhnemann, 10 Nathan Ellis, 11 Adam Zampa

The weather was relatively pleasant in Lahore – as compared to Tuesday when the second ODI was played – with strong wind blowing across the ground. The stage is set for an exciting decider, with both teams looking to outmaneuver each other.

Ronav Bailey

Ronav Bailey is a senior cricket correspondent with The Hindu, covering Indian cricket and international tournaments for over 15 years. Known for his incisive match reports, long-form features on cricketing culture, and data-driven analysis, he has reported from three ICC Cricket World Cups and multiple IPL seasons. A regular voice on cricket podcasts and television panels, Bailey brings a nuanced understanding of South Asian cricket politics, player development, and the shifting dynamics between traditional formats and T20 leagues. A Chennai-based journalist, he is also the author of Cover Drives and Carrom Balls: The Changing Face of Indian Cricket. His writing blends sharp observation with a deep respect for the game's subcontinental roots.