Australia have kept the same XI that defeated Sri Lanka in Lucknow while Pakistan have dropped Shadab Khan
Unchanged Aussies put in to bat in Bengaluru
Adam Zampa has passed a late fitness test to take his place in Australia's XI as they seek to square their World Cup ledger against Pakistan in Bengaluru.
Zampa went through an extensive warm-up prior to the match under the watchful eye of the team doctor and physiotherapist, bowling on the side of the wicket square at M. Chinnaswamy Stadium before captain Pat Cummins confirmed an unchanged line up at the toss as Pakistan counterpart Babar Azam asked Australia to bat first.
Australia XI: David Warner, Mitch Marsh, Steve Smith, Marnus Labuschagne, Josh Inglis (wk), Glenn Maxwell, Marcus Stoins, Mitch Starc, Pat Cummins (c), Josh Hazlewood, Adam Zampa
Pakistan XI: Abdullah Shafique, Imam ul-Haq, Babar Azam (c), Mohammad Rizwan (wk), Saud Shakeel, Iftikhar Ahmed, Mohammad Nawaz, Usama Mir, Hasan Ali, Shaheen Afridi, Haris Rauf
The leg-spinner revealed he played through back spasms to collect 4-47 in Australia's win over Sri Lanka and didn't bowl at Australia's two training sessions in the lead up to today's match.
"It's still lingering a little bit," Cummins said of Zampa's back spasms on match eve, "but it's getting better each day so it shouldn't be any worse than last game."
Cameron Green appeared the most likely replacement for Zampa if he wasn't declared fit, marking out his run-up and also bowling during the warm-up.
Pakistan have made one change with vice-captain Shadab Khan missing out as they "try a different combination", replaced by tall leg-spinner Usama Mir who collected two wickets against Australia in the warm-up match prior to the tournament.
Fakhar Zaman was unavailable for selection due to a knee complaint, while Salman Ali Agha is unwell, but both didn't feature in Pakistan's loss to hosts India in Ahmedabad last Saturday.
Australia sit just two points out of the top four in sixth following the Netherlands and Afghanistan's upset victories over South Africa and England respectively, although their net run-rate (-0.734) took a hit against the Proteas when they were bowled out for 177.
The Aussie batters finally found their groove in the last match against Sri Lanka after failing the reach 200 in each of their opening two games with Mitch Marsh and Josh Inglis both posting half-centuries, Australia's first of the tournament.
Veteran opener David Warner enters Friday's match on the back of a blistering run against Pakistan in 50-over cricket having scored a century in each of his last three ODI innings against them (130, 179, 107) dating back to January 2017.
Steve Smith, who scored 131 in Australia's last match in Bengaluru against India in 2020, will also welcome a return to familiar conditions after being dismissed for his first World Cup duck in Australia's previous match.
While Cummins said Australia would also have bowled had he won the toss, his side have won seven of their last 10 ODIs batting first, and possibly could have beaten India too in the opening match of the World Cup had Marsh been able to hang onto Virat Kohli on 12, who went on to guide the hosts to a six-wicket victory with a sublime 85 in the run chase.
Batting first or second doesn't seem to matter as Chinnaswamy Stadium either with the setting team winning 11 ODIs and the chasing team 12 with one tie.
Australia have played the last five one-day internationals at the venue, winning three, including both their 2011 World Cup fixtures against Kenya and Canada.
Should they win today's match they could rise as high as fourth depending on how much their net run-rate improves.
Australia's 2023 ODI World Cup fixtures
October 8: Lost to India by six wickets
October 12: Lost to South Africa by 134 runs
October 16: Beat Sri Lanka by five wickets
October 20: v Pakistan, Bengaluru (D/N), 7.30pm AEDT
October 25: v Netherlands, Delhi (D/N), 7.30pm AEDT
October 28: v New Zealand, Dharamsala, 4pm AEDT
November 4: v England, Ahmedabad (D/N), 7.30pm AEDT
November 7: v Afghanistan, Mumbai (D/N), 7.30pm AEDT
November 11: v Bangladesh, Pune, 4pm AEDT
Australia squad: Pat Cummins (c), Sean Abbott, Alex Carey, Cameron Green, Josh Hazlewood, Travis Head, Josh Inglis, Marnus Labuschagne, Mitchell Marsh, Glenn Maxwell, Steve Smith, Mitchell Starc, Marcus Stoinis, David Warner, Adam Zampa
2023 World Cup standings
| Team | M | W | L | T | N/R | NRR | Ded. | PTS |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
1
IND
|
9 | 9 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 2.57 | 0 | 18 |
|
2
SA
|
9 | 7 | 2 | 0 | 0 | 1.261 | 0 | 14 |
|
3
AUS
|
9 | 7 | 2 | 0 | 0 | 0.841 | 0 | 14 |
|
4
NZ
|
9 | 5 | 4 | 0 | 0 | 0.743 | 0 | 10 |
|
5
PAK
|
9 | 4 | 5 | 0 | 0 | -0.199 | 0 | 8 |
|
6
AFG
|
9 | 4 | 5 | 0 | 0 | -0.336 | 0 | 8 |
|
7
ENG
|
9 | 3 | 6 | 0 | 0 | -0.572 | 0 | 6 |
|
8
BAN
|
9 | 2 | 7 | 0 | 0 | -1.087 | 0 | 4 |
|
9
SL
|
9 | 2 | 7 | 0 | 0 | -1.419 | 0 | 4 |
|
10
NED
|
9 | 2 | 7 | 0 | 0 | -1.825 | 0 | 4 |
M: Matches played
W: Wins
L: Losses
T: Ties
N/R: No results
NRR: Net Run Rate
Ded.: Deductions
PTS: Total points