Pakistan will face Australia in the first T20I of the three-match series at the Gaddafi Stadium in Lahore on January 29, 2026. This series serves as the final preparation for both teams before the ICC Men’s T20 World Cup 2026, which starts on February 7 in India and Sri Lanka.
Australia is coming off a 2-1 T20I series loss to India at home. Pakistan drew their last T20I series against Sri Lanka 1-1. Both teams will look to fine-tune their combinations ahead of the World Cup. Babar Azam and Shaheen Shah Afridi return for Pakistan after missing the Sri Lanka series due to BBL commitments.
This article gives you a detailed Dream11 prediction, match details, head-to-head records, and key players for this T20I encounter.
Pakistan vs Australia Match Preview
Gaddafi Stadium in Lahore will host the first T20I. The match starts at 4:00 PM local time (5:30 PM IST).
| Details | Information |
|---|---|
| Match | Pakistan vs Australia, 1st T20I |
| Date | 29 January 2026 |
| Time | 4:00 PM PKT / 5:30 PM IST / 11:00 AM GMT / 10:00 PM AEDT |
| Venue | Gaddafi Stadium, Lahore, Pakistan |
| Series | Australia tour of Pakistan 2026 (3-match T20I series) |
| Format | T20I no. 3673 |
Pitch Report
| Aspect | Details |
|---|---|
| Pitch Type | Batting-friendly with even bounce and excellent carry |
| Average 1st Innings Score | 160-180 runs in T20Is |
| Pace vs Spin | Pace early on, spin in middle overs |
| Toss Factor | Teams batting first have won 20 of 33 T20Is here |
| Dew | Expected in second innings – makes chasing easier |
The pitch at Gaddafi Stadium is known for being batting-friendly with good bounce. Fast bowlers can get assistance early with the new ball. Spinners come into play in the middle overs. Dew in the second innings can make it difficult for bowlers, giving an advantage to chasing teams. Teams batting first should target 180+ runs.
Weather Report
| Condition | Details |
|---|---|
| Temperature | Around 18-20°C |
| Humidity | Moderate |
| Wind | Light breeze expected |
| Rain Chance | No rain expected |
| Overall | Cool evening conditions are good for cricket |
Toss Prediction
Pakistan has won their last 6 T20Is at Gaddafi Stadium batting first. However, dew factor could influence captains to bowl first. The team winning the toss may choose to bowl first to take advantage of the dew in the second innings.
Injury Updates
Pakistan:
- Shaheen Shah Afridi – Recovered from knee ligament injury (cut short his BBL stint with Brisbane Heat), fit to play
- Haris Rauf – Not selected despite 20 wickets in BBL for Melbourne Stars
- Mohammad Rizwan – Not selected, Khawaja Nafay preferred as wicketkeeper
Australia:
- Pat Cummins – Rested (building fitness for World Cup)
- Josh Hazlewood – Rested (returning from injury)
- Tim David – Rested (returning from injury)
- Glenn Maxwell – Rested (load management)
- Nathan Ellis – Rested (returning from injury)
- Mitchel Marsh (Rested)
- Josh Inglish (Rested)
Dream11 Team For PAK vs AUS
Head-to-Head Record in T20Is
| Stat | Record |
|---|---|
| Total T20I Matches | 29 |
| Pakistan Wins | 14 |
| Australia Wins | 13 |
| No Result | 2 |
| Last 5 Matches | Australia leads 5-0 |
Australia’s Dominance:
- Australia has won 8 consecutive T20Is against Pakistan (since 2018)
- Last Pakistan win vs Australia: November 2018
- In Australia: Australia leads 6-0 (never lost to Pakistan at home in T20Is)
- In Pakistan: Only 1 T20I played (April 2022) – Australia won by 3 wickets
Last 5 T20Is:
- Australia won by 7 wickets (with 52 balls remaining) 18-Nov-2024
- Australia won by 13 runs, 16-Nov-2024
- Australia won by 29 runs, 14-Nov-2024
- Australia won by 3 wickets (with 5 balls remaining) 05-Apr-2022
- Australia won by 5 wickets (with 6 balls remaining) 11-Nov-2021
Suggested Reads:
Top Picks For The Match
| Player | Role | Recent Form |
|---|---|---|
| Sahibzada Farhan | Opener | 322 runs in last 10 T20Is, avg 35.78, SR 138.19 – Top scorer at Asia Cup 2025, 50 vs SL |
| Saim Ayub | Opener | 256 runs in last 10 T20Is, avg 28.44, SR 129.29 |
| Babar Azam | No. 3/4 | 386 runs vs Australia in T20Is (needs 14 more to be first to 400 in this fixture) – struggled in BBL (202 runs, SR 103.06) |
| Travis Head | Opener | 102 runs in last 8 T20Is, avg 14.57, SR 134.21 – key for powerplay |
| Cameron Green | All-rounder | Powerplay SR 214.7 since 2025 (3rd best among full members) |
| Adam Zampa | Leg-spinner | Death overs avg 6.5 since 2025 (2nd best) – 17 wickets vs PAK in career |
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