Mooney cleared to play as Aussies take educational steps

Pakistan will bat first in the second Commbank T20I after winning the toss at Blundstone Arena, with Beth Mooney named alongside Meg Lanning at the top of an unchanged Australian XI after being passed fit to play.

The Australia squad took a moment prior to the first ball to stand together and acknowledge country, one of a number of steps the team has taken as they navigate playing on January 26.

In a move that was driven by the playing group, Australia are wearing their First Nations jersey, which was by designed by Aunty Fiona Clarke and Courtney Hagen, as well as wristbands and socks with Aboriginal colours for the match in Hobart.

On the eve of the match, the players attended a smoking ceremony and completed a wukalina walking tour of kunanyi after arriving in Hobart, where they learned about local culture, flora and fauna.

Allrounder Ashleigh Gardner raised concerns about the scheduling of the second T20I via social media on Sunday, saying the anniversary of the day the First Fleet arrived in Australia in 1788 was a "day of hurt and a day of mourning" for First Nations Australians.

Australia skipper Meg Lanning hailed Gardner’s "brave" decision to speak out about her concerns in the lead-up to the match, saying the players were united in their support of the star allrounder.

Lanning confirmed the team had been discussing their concerns around the schedule, and how they would approach playing on that date, since the fixture for the three-game series was changed last July.

The second T20I was originally scheduled to be played at Manuka Oval on January 27, but the game was moved to Hobart when South Africa’s men pulled out of their January ODI series, leaving the Tasmanian capital without an international game for the 2022-23 summer.

"We've had a lot of discussions as a group around the game," Lanning told reporters in Sydney on Monday.

"We're fully supportive of Ash and her stance and her feelings and views around it.

"It's something that we can't control in terms of the scheduling and playing on that day, but something that we would like to do is just acknowledge the sadness and grief that day does bring for First Nations people.

"Secondly, we're going to try and use the opportunity that we have to educate ourselves, to try and create a better understanding of what it means and their culture, and that's what we're using this opportunity to do.

"It's a really united front within the group and as I said, we really support Ash and her feelings around the day."

CommBank T20I Series

Tuesday Jan 24: Australia won by eight wickets

Thursday Jan 26: Blundstone Arena, Hobart, 7:05pm

Sunday Jan 29: Manuka Oval, Canberra, 1:45pm

Buy #AUSvPAK T20 tickets here

Australia T20I squad: Meg Lanning (c), Tahlia McGrath (vc), Darcie Brown, Ashleigh Gardner, Kim Garth, Heather Graham, Grace Harris, Jess Jonassen, Alana King, Beth Mooney, Ellyse Perry, Megan Schutt, Annabel Sutherland, Georgia Wareham

Pakistan T20I squad: Bismah Maroof (c), Aiman Anwar, Aliya Riaz, Ayesha Naseem, Fatima Sana, Javeria Khan, Muneeba Ali, Nashra Sandhu, Nida Dar, Omaima Sohail, Sadaf Shamas, Sadia Iqbal, Sidra Amin, Sidra Nawaz, Tuba Hassan