Pak vs Aus: Injury-hit Australia suffered another blow

LAHORE: The visiting Australian squad took a further hit Monday when Mitch Marsh was ruled out of three-match ODI series against Pakistan.

The allrounder suffered a hip flexor injury during a training session and was shifted to the hospital for scans. Cam Green will play in his place.

Earlier, batter Steve Smith and bowler Kane Richardson were also sidelined from the series due to fitness issues.

Speaking to journalists Monday, Australian skipper Aaron Finch said, "I don't think he will be available for this series based on how he was feeling yesterday."

"He sustained that yesterday in a fielding drill. It was a high intensity, lateral movement drill. He bent down to pick it up one-handed and went to throw and felt a twinge in his hip flexor," Finch added.

The skipper, however, seemed confident to give a tough time to the hosts despite a depleted squad.

Finch said that he expect a good score on these pitches.

“Pitches are very good for ODI and T20 matches in Pakistan. Dew will be an important factor. Well, at the moment we are trying to make a combination for the next world cup.”

The Kangaroos captain added that they are experimenting to build the team.

Referring to the Test series, Finch said that Pat Cummins had taken the risk and made an excellent declaration in the last Test and tried to keep the balance. “The match could have gone anyway in the last session.”

‘Shaheen Afridi is a world-class bowler’

Finch added that Pakistan and Australia have played excellent cricket in the series so far.

“Pakistan team has good players. Led by a batter like Babar Azam and then in bowling Pakistan has Shaheen Afridi, he is world class bowler and can swing with the new ball.”

He said that Haris Ruff is also in the team who he faced in Big Bash League in Australia and Hasan Ali is there as well.

“There are many young fast bowlers in the squad. Pakistan bowlers are good, this is a challenge for us.”