"We are definitely giving Pakistan as much respect as what we gave India" : Aaron Finch

[Abdullah719]

Australian skipper Aaron Finch hopes his team carry the momentum of a series win in India to their five-match One-Day International (ODI) series against Pakistan starting in Sharjah from Friday.

The Pakistan series is the last chance for Australia to fill any gapes before they defend their title in the World Cup starting in the United Kingdom from May 30.

Finch hopes his team keeps improving.

"It is about trying to maintain our momentum that we got in India," said Finch of the 3-2 come from behind win earlier this month — Australia's first series win in India since 2009.

The win in India — after six consecutive One-Day series defeats — was a boost for the Australia team who lost two key players — skipper Steven Smith and opener David Warner — to bans for ball tampering last year.

"I think since we played South Africa in Australia we have got better and better," said Finch of the 2-1 series defeat in November last year.

"I think we are starting to get a real clear strategy in a real game plan and how we want to play One-Day cricket and it is just about making sure that we continue in that way."

Smith and Warner were available for the last two ODI matches of this series after their one-year bans expire on March 29 but they were reintegrated with the team in United Arab Emirates (UAE) before leaving to play in the Indian Premier League.

Pakistan are also in the build-up for the World Cup, having rested six key players — skipper Sarfraz Ahmed, Babar Azam, Fakhar Zaman, Shadab Khan, Hasan Ali and Shaheen Shah Afridi — to get them fresh for the mega event.

But Finch is not ready to take a new-look Pakistan lightly.

"I think Pakistan has obviously played in these conditions for a long time," said Finch of Pakistan who have not beaten Australia in a bilateral series since 2002, losing the last five series.

Pakistan also have just one win against Australia from the last ten ODI's.

"We cannot take them lightly in any form of the game at any time. They are a highly skilled and talented team and so we are definitely giving them as much respect as what we gave India," said Finch.

Pakistan's stand-in skipper Shoaib Malik is confident conditions in UAE — where Pakistan have been playing their home matches since the 2009 attacks on the Sri Lankan team bus in Lahore — will favour his team.

"Every series is tough but it's a good opportunity for young players," said Malik.

"Australia will be high on morale but we should have an advantage of the conditions."

Pakistan are likely to give an ODI cap to opener Shan Masood after a good Test series in South Africa while either 18-year-old Mohammad Hasnain or Mohammad Abbas will supplement Mohammad Amir, Junaid Khan and Faheem Ashraf in the pace attack.

The remaining matches will be played in Sharjah (March 24), Abu Dhabi (March 27) and Dubai (March 29 and 31).

Squads:

Pakistan: Shoaib Malik (captain), Abid Ali, Faheem Ashraf, Haris Sohail, Imad Wasim, Imam-ul-Haq, Junaid Khan, Mohammad Abbas, Mohammad Amir, Mohammad Hasnain, Mohammad Rizwan, Saad Ali, Shan Masood, Umar Akmal, Usman Shinwari, Yasir Shah

Australia: Aaron Finch (captain), Usman Khawaja, Shaun Marsh, Peter Handscomb, Glenn Maxwell, Ashton Turner, Marcus Stoinis, Alex Carey, Pat Cummins, Nathan Coulter-Nile, Jhye Richardson, Kane Richardson, Jason Behrendorff, Nathan Lyon, Adam Zampa

Umpires: Michael Gough (ENG) and Ahsan Raza (PAK) Tv umpire: Kumar Dharmasena (SRI)

Match referee: Jeff Crowe (NZL)

https://www.dawn.com/news/1471021/finch-hopes-australia-carry-momentum-in-pakistan-series

 

[Abdullah719]

Finch open to batting down the order at World Cup

Australia's limited-overs captain Aaron Finch is willing to demote himself to aid Australia's title defence at the ICC Men's Cricket World Cup in England and Wales later this year.

Finch and Usman Khawaja have had success as a pair at the top of the order recently, with partnerships of 83, 193 and 76 in the India series. They are also expected to open together in the five-match one-day international series against Pakistan, starting in Sharjah on Friday, 22 March.

Finch has opened for Australia in 98 of his 100 ODI innings. That includes a successful partnership with David Warner in the 2015 World Cup, which Australia won after defeating New Zealand in the final in Melbourne.

Finch has struggled for form recently. In eight innings this year, he has scored only 183 runs at an average of 22.87. He partly addressed those concerns in the series against India, when he struck 93 in the third ODI in Ranchi.

However, with Khawaja in terrific form - he was the highest run-scorer in the India series, with two centuries and two fifties - and Warner's impending return, Finch's position at the top isn't secure. "If that means me batting at six, I'll comfortably do that. If it's at the top, three or four - it doesn't matter," he said.

"Personal results aren't what this side is about. I think that's what has made our improvement as dramatic and quick as it has been. If you go in just solely focused on scoring a hundred or thinking, 'if I bat at five, I'm not going to get a hundred, I don't get enough opportunity', that's not what is best."

While the returns of Warner and Steve Smith add to Australia's selection headaches ahead of the World Cup, Finch is expected to lead them at the marquee event. Having led Australia to a famous series win in India, Finch took heart from the success and believed he has the game to work past his recent failings.

“Some people would have taken a bit more notice (of Australia) over the last couple of weeks,” he said. "I still feel really good with my game ... my rhythm is there. There’s probably been some times where you start doubting your technique. For me, it’s about going back to what’s worked for me in the past."

https://www.icc-cricket.com/news/1110651

 

[Hasan123]

Australia don’t take opposition likely. Fully expect them to be up for the challenge.

 

[Hitman]

Beating Pakistan in the UAE is no joke.

 

[PakPremi]

Beating Pakistan in the UAE is no joke.

Aus B team should beat Pak D team easily

 

[Slim]

What does he mean? We are playing our Z team whereas India played their full team against you.

 

[BlackShadow]

Beating Pakistan in the UAE is no joke.

To be fair, India and Bangladesh made them look like a club side not too long ago, in UAE!

Surely Australia can do the same, like they are doing at the moment.

 

[MenInG]

Aaron Finch is riding on a high, both as opener and Australia captain. While he came within 10 runs of becoming the first Australian batsman to hit three one-day international centuries in a row, his team are set to go into the ICC Men's Cricket World Cup 2019 with series wins against India and Pakistan behind them.

This marks a stark turnaround from even a few months ago, when Finch's place in the side was under question, and Australia were struggling without Steve Smith and David Warner in their side.

Finch, who has scores of 116, 153* and 90 in the three matches against Pakistan in the United Arab Emirates so far, admitted that he's finally slightly relaxed.

"Winning is the most important thing and being able to contribute to that with the bat is obviously important, and it makes you feel better," he said ahead of the fourth ODI on Friday, 29 March.

"You don't lose as much sleep worrying about a lot of the stuff that occupies your mind as a captain [and] really worrying about your own form, your own technique, things that could go wrong. At times you get into quite a negative frame of mind when things aren't going your way."

The "negative" mindset is something he's mentioned before, especially in the context of his poor run against India in the Test series as well as the ODIs that followed. The Indian attack exposed his struggles against the moving ball and he was dropped from the Test side. However, when Australia toured India, he finally broke through in the third ODI, which began Australia's run of wins, making 93.

"India – they were probably all over me for a couple of games there in the Tests. Then the ODI series in Australia as well," he admitted. "So to get some runs at the back end of that series in India, get a 90 and contribute with a couple of other starts was nice.

"It never takes the pressure off, because you're always wanting to lead from the front in every game and have that match-winning contribution. [But] it's been nice to set us up for a couple of really big match-winning partnerships."

https://www.icc-cricket.com/news/1144056

 

[BaankeJi]

Pakistan has caught Australia on their way up. Momentum was with Aussies when the series started.

 

[Haroon786]

Beating Pakistan in the UAE is no joke.

In ODIs, it's p!ss easy.