Behrendorff recalled for decider as Aussies bat first

Jason Behrendorff returns to the Australian side for his first ODI in nearly three years for tonight's series decider with Pakistan in Lahore.

After two high-scoring matches Australia have omitted leg-spinner Mitchell Swepson for the extra pace of the Western Australian left-armer in the only change to the XI.

Australia will bat first in the series decider (Fox Cricket, Kayo Sports, 9pm AEDT) after Pakistan skipper Babar Azam won the toss for the third successive match.

Aaron Finch would have been hoping for a coin toss to fall his way after, and Australia had been looking to bat second second after struggling with dew while fielding for the second innings in the earlier games.

Pakistan also made a change with Saud Shakeel dropping out of the XI for the big-hitting Asif Ali who plays his first ODI after 12 months out of the team.

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

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

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Behrendorff's last ODI was the 2019 World Cup semi-final at Edgbaston, when he was the Australians' most economical bowler as the home side ran down a target of 224 inside 33 overs on their way to claiming the title.

With Mitchell Starc having returned home after the Test series (the left-armer is now in New Zealand to support wife Alyssa Healy in Sunday's ODI World Cup final against England) Behrendorff adds extra speed and a point of difference to an Australian attack that conceded 4-352 in Thursday's defeat in the second ODI.

Swepson has bowled admirably in his two ODI matches to date, taking 2-XX in the first game, including the prized scalp of Pakistan captain Babar Azam, but went wicketless in eight overs in the second game.

Australia have opened the bowling with Sean Abbott and Cameron Green in the first two ODIs, with Nathan Ellis and allrounder Marcus Stoinis the other seam options.

With captain Aaron Finch using Travis Head's occasional off-spin, and the option of Marnus Labuschagne to bowl leggies also in the XI, Swepson has made way.

Behrendorff did play two T20s in the West Indies last winter, but the return to the Australian ODI side marks a special milestone nearly three years on from the bold decision to undergo radical back surgery in a bid to extend his playing career.

It was October 2019, just a few months after playing a leading role in Australia's ODI World Cup campaign, that Behrendorff travelled to New Zealand to undergo the same operation that resurrected the career of James Pattinson.

The surgery, that saw a bone graft from his hip fused to his spine, ruled him out of the entire 2019-20 season, before returning to the BBL in 2020-21 with a tweaked technique and a run-up that is three metres shorter.

Behrendorff comes in off the back of winning the Marsh One-Day Cup with WA, taking eight wickets in five games at 27.25 and an economy of 4.89. He will present a different challenge for Pakistan's in-form opener Imam-ul-Haq, who has been in a purple patch of form against the Australians across formats.

In seven innings against Australia in the past month, Imam has four times passed 100 and averaged 82.71, including centuries in both ODIs so far.

"I think we just have to think a bit more outside the box," Labuschagne said of Australia's approach to the left-hander for tonight's match.

"He hasn't really put a foot wrong and he is the type of player who doesn't give many opportunities to get him out.

"It is one for us to have a look at. There's not much bounce or pace on these wickets. In Australia you might go short ball and try and get it high and get a catch at square leg or fine leg. You don't have that luxury here, you have to keep going at the stumps."

"He is a very good player, top-10 in the world for one-day cricket, so we have to go to the chalk board and work that out."

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: Australia win by 88 runs

March 31: Pakistan win by six wickets

April 2: Third ODI, Lahore

April 5: Only T20I, Lahore

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