Lahore Test

Australia win toss and decided to bat in the deciding Test

AFP

Lahore, Pakistan

Pakistan's captain Babar Azam (L) tosses a coin as his Australian counterpart Pat Cummins looks on before the start of the first day of the third cricket Test match between Pakistan and Australia at the Gaddafi Cricket Stadium in Lahore on 21 March, 2022AFP

Australia captain Pat Cummins won the toss and opted to bat in the series-deciding third and final Test against Pakistan at Lahore on Monday.

The visitors kept the same team that drew the second Test in Karachi last week, while Pakistan brought in fast bowler Naseem Shah in place of all-rounder Faheem Ashraf.

The three-Test series is deadlocked at 0-0 after the first Test in Rawalpindi also ended in a draw.

The Test is the first to take place in Lahore since 2009 fatal terror attack on the Sri Lanka team bus that forced Pakistan to play their home matches abroad, mostly in the United Arab Emirates.

Australia are touring Pakistan for the first time since 1998, having previously refused to play in the country because of security fears.

Pakistan: Babar Azam (captain), Abdullah Shafique, Imam-ul-Haq, Azhar Ali, Fawad Alam, Mohammad Rizwan, Nauman Ali, Sajid Khan, Hasan Ali, Shaheen Shah Afridi, Naseem Shah

Australia: Pat Cummins (captain), David Warner, Usman Khawaja, Marnus Labuschagne, Steve Smith, Travis Head, Cameron Green, Alex Carey, Mitchell Starc, Nathan Lyon, Mitchell Swepson

Umpires: Aleem Dar (PAK), Ahsan Raza (PAK)

TV umpire: Asif Yaqoob (PAK)

Match referee: Ranjan Madugalle (SRI)