Pakistan win toss, choose to bowl against Australia in 2nd ODI in Lahore

Pakistan on Tuesday won the toss and chose to bowl against Australia in their second one-day international (ODI) match being played in Lahore. Shaheen Afridi and Josh Inglis were present at the toss, with the former opting to bowl first at Lahore’s Gaddafi Stadium. The hosts took a 1-0 lead on Saturday courtesy of a commanding performance led by debutant all-rounder Arafat Minhas at the match in Rawalpindi. The 21-year-old claimed five wickets as Pakistan’s slow bowlers accounted for eight dismissals, exposing a long-standing Australian vulnerability against quality spin in subcontinental conditions. The teams now move to Lahore, where conditions have historically favoured batsmen. The venue has produced several high-scoring encounters in recent years, including Australia’s successful chase of 352 against England during last year’s Champions Trophy and Pakistan’s pursuit of 349 against Australia in 2022. Australia had arrived in Pakistan with several senior players unavailable and have approached the tour as an opportunity to assess emerging talent in challenging conditions.