Aussies batting, name two debutants for first ODI

Australia have handed ODI debuts to leg-spinner Mitchell Swepson and pace bowler Nathan Ellis after regular first XI member Ashton Agar was ruled out of the three-match series due to COVID-19 earlier today.

Captain Aaron Finch lost the toss and the Australians were asked to bat first in tonight's opening match in Lahore.

Partnering Finch at the top of the order is Travis Head, with Ben McDermott slotting in at No.3. Test pair Marnus Labuschagne and Cameron Green also both make their returns to the national 50-over team on either side of Marcus Stoinis in the middle order.

Swepson and Ellis join another leggie in Adam Zampa and Blues fast-bowling allrounder Sean Abbott in a relatively green Australian attack.

Pakistan meanwhile have also named two debutants in Zahid Mahmood and Mohammad Wasim Jnr.

Australia XI: Aaron Finch (c), Travis Head, Ben McDermott, Marnus Labuschagne, Marcus Stoinis, Cameron Green, Alex Carey, Sean Abbott, Nathan Ellis, Adam Zampa, Mitch Swepson

Pakistan XI: Fakhar Zaman, Imam-ul-Haq, Babar Azam (c), Mohammad Rizwan (wk), Saud Shaker, Iftikhar Ahmed, Khushdil Shah, Hasan Ali, Mohammad Wasim Jnr, Haris Rauf, Zahid Mahmood

Having lost Agar and wicketkeeper-batter Josh Inglis to COVID-19, the touring party was further depleted after T20 World Cup hero Mitch Marsh was struck down by a hip flexor injury.

Marsh suffered the setback during a training drill on Monday and he has been sent for scans.

Captain Finch expects Marsh to miss the entire three-match ODI series, with fellow WA allrounder Green set to play just his second ODI.

Swepson made his Test debut just over a fortnight ago in the second Test in Karachi, while the 28-year-old Queenslander has also played seven T20Is since debuting in that format back in June 2018.

Ellis meanwhile, played two T20Is against Bangladesh last August, the first of which included a hat-trick on his international debut.

Marsh's injury comes at a bad time for the tourists, given stars Pat Cummins, Mitchell Starc, Josh Hazlewood, and David Warner are all being rested from the white-ball component of the Pakistan tour.

Steve Smith was ruled out at the weekend due to an elbow injury, while Glenn Maxwell is another big name missing.

"I don't think he'll be available for this series based on how he was feeling (Sunday)," Finch said of Marsh. "He sustained that (Sunday) in a fielding drill. It was a high-intensity, lateral movement drill.

"He bent down to pick it up one-handed and went to throw and felt a twinge in his hip flexor."

Marsh has been one of Australia's best white-ball players in recent times, but his absence has opened the door for Green to showcase his talent.

Green is flourishing in the Test arena, while his one and only ODI appearance came in December 2020 when he scored 21 off 27 balls and took 0-27 off four overs in a 13-run loss to India.

Earlier today, Queensland batter Matthew Renshaw flew out to Pakistan as cover for the COVID-19-hit group.

Qantas Tour of Pakistan 2022

First Test: Match drawn

March 12-16: Match drawn

March 21-25: Australia win by 115 runs

Pakistan ODI and T20 squad: Babar Azam (c), Shadab Khan, Abdullah Shafique*, Asif Afridi, Asif Ali, Fakhar Zaman, Haider Ali, Haris Rauf, Hasan Ali, Iftikhar Ahmed, Imam-ul-Haq*, Khushdil Shah, Mohammad Haris, Zahid Mahmood, Mohammad Rizwan, Mohammad Wasim, Saud Shakeel*, Shaheen Afridi, Shahnawaz Dahani, Usman Qadir (*ODIs only)

Australia ODI and T20 squad: Aaron Finch (c), Sean Abbott, Ashton Agar, Jason Behrendorff, Alex Carey, Ben Dwarshuis, Nathan Ellis, Cameron Green, Travis Head, Josh Inglis, Marnus Labuschagne, Mitchell Marsh, Ben McDermott, Marcus Stoinis, Mitchell Swepson, Adam Zampa

March 29: First ODI, Lahore

March 31: Second ODI, Lahore

April 2: Third ODI, Lahore

April 5: Only T20I, Lahore

All matches to be broadcast in Australia on Fox Cricket and Kayo Sports