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Toss Australia chose to bat v Afghanistan
A scorching day and a grassless, concrete-like surface greeted the two captains for the toss. At 6pm local time, with the sun setting beyond the horizon, the temperature was still 38 degrees Celsius.
Michael Clarke had no hesitation choosing to bat when the coin fell his way.
For the Australians, this is a unique scenario not just because of the opponents. The heat is a factor in itself, but the playing hours are most bizarre. Play will begin at 6pm and finish near 2am. Clarke's side has prepared by sleeping in until midday, going to training at 5pm and finishing their work at 10pm.
Australia included a debutant, Victoria's Glenn Maxwell, for their first match against Afghanistan. The off-spinning allrounder becomes Australia's 196th ODI player and joins left-arm orthodox spinner Xavier Doherty in the line-up. Michael Hussey also returns after missing the England tour due to the birth of his child. Michael Clarke has promoted himself to No. 3 while Matthew Wade will open with David Warner in the absence of Shane Watson who misses this tour with a calf complaint.
For Afghanistan this is an historic day as it is just their second ODI against an ICC Full Member country after their defeat to Pakistan in February. Captain Nawroz Mangal echoed his team's excitement at the toss. Unsurprisingly the newcomers have included two spinners in Mohammad Nabi and Samiullah Shenwari who have played all 22 ODIs for their country.
It will be a test for the Australians against an unknown entity, while for Afghanistan it is a momentous occasion in their nation's cricketing history.
Teams:
Afghanistan: Karim Sadiq, Javed Ahmadi, Mohammad Shahzad (wk), Nawroz Mangal (capt), Najibullah Zadran, Mohammad Nabi, Asghar Stanikzai, Samiullah Shenwari, Gulbodin Naib, Dawlat Zadran, Shapoor Zadran
Australia: Matthew Wade (wk), David Warner, Michael Clarke (capt), Michael Hussey, David Hussey, George Bailey, Glenn Maxwell, Mitchell Johnson, Mitchell Starc, James Pattinson, Xavier Doherty
A scorching day and a grassless, concrete-like surface greeted the two captains for the toss. At 6pm local time, with the sun setting beyond the horizon, the temperature was still 38 degrees Celsius.
Michael Clarke had no hesitation choosing to bat when the coin fell his way.
For the Australians, this is a unique scenario not just because of the opponents. The heat is a factor in itself, but the playing hours are most bizarre. Play will begin at 6pm and finish near 2am. Clarke's side has prepared by sleeping in until midday, going to training at 5pm and finishing their work at 10pm.
Australia included a debutant, Victoria's Glenn Maxwell, for their first match against Afghanistan. The off-spinning allrounder becomes Australia's 196th ODI player and joins left-arm orthodox spinner Xavier Doherty in the line-up. Michael Hussey also returns after missing the England tour due to the birth of his child. Michael Clarke has promoted himself to No. 3 while Matthew Wade will open with David Warner in the absence of Shane Watson who misses this tour with a calf complaint.
For Afghanistan this is an historic day as it is just their second ODI against an ICC Full Member country after their defeat to Pakistan in February. Captain Nawroz Mangal echoed his team's excitement at the toss. Unsurprisingly the newcomers have included two spinners in Mohammad Nabi and Samiullah Shenwari who have played all 22 ODIs for their country.
It will be a test for the Australians against an unknown entity, while for Afghanistan it is a momentous occasion in their nation's cricketing history.
Teams:
Afghanistan: Karim Sadiq, Javed Ahmadi, Mohammad Shahzad (wk), Nawroz Mangal (capt), Najibullah Zadran, Mohammad Nabi, Asghar Stanikzai, Samiullah Shenwari, Gulbodin Naib, Dawlat Zadran, Shapoor Zadran
Australia: Matthew Wade (wk), David Warner, Michael Clarke (capt), Michael Hussey, David Hussey, George Bailey, Glenn Maxwell, Mitchell Johnson, Mitchell Starc, James Pattinson, Xavier Doherty