Match: Australia v Pakistan, 4th ODI
Date: 22 January, Sunday
Time: 11:20am SGT/8:50am IST/3:20am GMT
Venue: Sydney Cricket Ground
TV Channel: Star Cricket will provide live TV coverage in Singapore.
Live streaming: Hotstar
Overview
Pakistan let go of an opportunity to have the upperhand in the series at Perth as they lost the third One Day International (ODI) match by seven wickets. After being asked to bat first Mohammad Hafeez's men could manage only 263 runs on a batting-friendly WACA wicket. A ton from skipper Steve Smith helped the Australians gun down the target with five overs to spare.
Pakistan cannot afford to lose the fourth ODI at the Sydney Cricket Ground (SCG) on Sunday. The conditions are expected to similiar to that in Melbourne Cricket Ground, where Pakistan leveled the series by winning the second ODI after going down in the first by 92 runs.
Spinner Hafeez, Imad Wasim and Shoaib Malik, who bowled 24 overs between them and conceded only 89 runs in Melbourne, are expected to dominate proceedings at the SCG again. However, the Men in Green need to considerably lift their batting performance if they are give their bowlers enough to work with. The likes of Sharjeel Khan and Babar Azam have got starts but converting them into big knocks is crucial.
On the other hand, Smith and Co. will want to close out the series in Sydney. A commanding performance from the skipper in their last match will boost the team. While David Warner and Usman Khawaja are due a big knock, youngsters Travis Head and Peter Handscomb will want to prove a point to the selectors in a high-pressure game.
The return of Mitchell Starc should add firepower to their in-form bowling line-up. However, Australia will be tempted to bring in leg-spinner Adam Zampa in place of either Pat Cummins or Billy Stanlake to make use of the conditions at the SCG.
TV Schedule
India: Star Sports
Australia: Channel 9
Pakistan: PTV Sports
UK: BT Sport
Sri Lanka: TNL TV
US: Willow TV
Middle East: OSN Sports
Team News
Australia
Possible XI: Smith (c), Warner, Khawaja, Head, Handscomb, Maxwell, Wade (wk), Faulkner, Zampa, Starc, Hazlewood
Pakistan
Possible XI: Hafeez (c), Sharjeel, Shafiq, Babar, Malik, Umar, Rizwan (wk), Imad, Amir, Hasan, Junaid
