Litchfield debuts as returning Lanning opts to bowl

Phoebe Litchfield will make her one-day international debut in Australia's first match against Pakistan at Allan Border Field, with Australia bowling first after returning captain Meg Lanning won the toss.

Litchfield was presented with ODI cap No.148 by Beth Mooney – who she will open the batting alongside – ahead of a slightly delayed toss due to showers in Brisbane on Monday morning.

The match is Australia's first one-dayer since winning the World Cup in Christchurch last April.

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Australia XI:  Beth Mooney (wk), Phoebe Litchfield, Meg Lanning (c), Ellyse Perry, Tahlia McGrath, Ashleigh Gardner, Annabel Sutherland, Jess Jonassen, Alana King, Megan Schutt, Darcie Brown

Pakistan XI: Muneeba Ali, Sidra Ameen, Bismah Maroof (c), Omaima Sohail, Nida Dar, Aliya Riaz, Kainat Imtiaz, Fatima Sana, Sidra Nawaz (wk), Diana Baig, Sadia Iqbal

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In the almost 10 months since, long-term opener Rachael Haynes has retired, and fellow left-hander Mooney, who opens in T20Is, was the logical choice to shuffle up from the middle order to replace the former vice-captain.

But Alyssa Healy's calf injury, which has ruled her out until the T20 World Cup, meant there was a second, albeit temporary, opening spot to fill for the three one-dayers, creating the opportunity for 19-year-old left-hander Litchfield.

It follows the NSW prodigy's T20I debut in India last month.

Meanwhile Mooney will take the gloves in Healy's absence.

Lanning is making her return to international cricket following a six-month hiatus and will slot into her usual position at No.3.

Jess Jonassen has returned from the hamstring injury that cut short her T20I tour of India last month, with the left-arm spinner joining leggie Alana King and off-spinner Ashleigh Gardner in a three-strong spin attack.

Lanning has no shortage of pace bowlers at her disposal, with new-ball pair Megan Schutt and Darcie Brown joined by Annabel Sutherland, Ellyse Perry and Tahlia McGrath.

ICC Women's Championship points are on offer for the three-match ODI series, adding incentive for both teams.

This is Australia's first round of the new edition of the Championship and having won both previous editions, they will be eager to secure all six points on offer.

Running every four years, the Championship determines which five teams, alongside hosts India, gain automatic qualification for the 2025 World Cup.

Pakistan have already played two rounds, against Sri Lanka and Ireland, and sit second on the table after winning five of those six matches.

Australia nonetheless will go in overwhelming favourites, having never lost to Pakistan in any format, but allrounder Perry said their rivals would not be taken lightly.

"They're a team that has been constantly improving over the last couple of years particularly," Perry said on Sunday.

"They've got a lot of really good senior players but also some really exceptional young talent coming through – someone like Fatima Sana, we got to see her at the one-day World Cup last year and just what she's capable of, and she's only come on since then.

"They're going to be a really good challenge for us, we saw the way that they played the other day against the Governor-General's side and for long periods of that game, they were on top."

CommBank ODI Series

Monday Jan 16:Allan Border Field, Brisbane 11:05am AEDT

Wednesday Jan 18:Allan Border Field, Brisbane 11:05am AEDT

Saturday Jan 21:North Sydney Oval, 11:05am AEDT

Buy #AUSvPAK ODI tickets here

Australia ODI squad: Meg Lanning (c), Tahlia McGrath (vc), Darcie Brown, Nicola Carey, Ashleigh Gardner, Kim Garth, Jess Jonassen, Alana King, Phoebe Litchfield, Beth Mooney, Ellyse Perry, Megan Schutt, Annabel Sutherland

Pakistan ODI squad: Bismah Maroof (c), Aliya Riaz, Ayesha Naseem, Diana Baig, Fatima Sana, Kainat Imtiaz, Muneeba Ali, Nashra Sandhu, Nida Dar, Omaima Sohail, Sadaf Shamas, Sadia Iqbal, Sidra Amin, Sidra Nawaz, Tuba Hassan