Pakistan vs Australia 1st Test betting tips & odds – March 4-8

The Australian cricket team’s first tour of Pakistan in 24 years officially begins this Friday with the commencement of the opening Test in Rawalpindi.

The tour will consist of three Test matches, three ODIs and one T20 clash, which are scheduled across three different Pakistani cities including Rawalpindi, Karachi and Lahore.

The Aussies have named two sides for the tour – one for the three Test matches and another for the ODI and T20 matches.

Pat Cummins will captain the Test side for the first time away from home, while this will also be the first Test since Justin Langer resigned as head coach of the Australian men’s team.

Pakistan will start as slight favourites for the first Test of the series, although a few online bookmakers have the two sides at level pegging in the win-draw-win markets.

With the likes of Babar Azam, Shaheen Afridi, Nauman Ali and Haris Rauf on show, the hosts have enough star power to trouble an Australian squad that has no real experience in Pakistani conditions.

The usual suspects of Cummins, Mitchell Starc, Marnus Labuschagne, Steve Smith and David Warner will lead the way for the visitors, while the likes of Travis Head, Cameron Green, Usman Khawaja and Scott Boland will look to build on their strong performances in the recent Ashes series.

While the Aussies were battering the Poms during the summer, the Pakistanis sealed a comprehensive 2-0 series win against Bangladesh, so it should be a gripping contest between two sides in decent form.

Pakistan vs Australia 1st Test predictions & best bets

Pakistan most wickets (1st innings): Shaheen Afridi

We were very keen to pick Hasan Ali for the top Pakistani wicket-taker, but the fast bowler has been ruled out with a muscle strain. Ali took 10 wickets in his last appearance at Rawalpindi, but it will have to be his partner-in-crime who does all the damage this time around. Shaheen Afridi is more than capable of knocking over a handful of Aussies, especially since he took four wickets in his last Test innings at this stadium. Afridi also led the way for Pakistan in the wicket-count during the 2019 tour of Australia.

Australia most runs (1st innings): David Warner

David Warner loves playing in Test matches against Pakistan, who he averages just under 110 runs per innings against. Warner posted his highest ever score of 335no against Pakistan back in 2019, and we think he is primed to strike again. The Aussie opener should flourish whilst Hasan Ali is sidelined.

Match result: Australia

The Aussies got their swagger back when tearing apart England during the Ashes, and we think that blistering form should carry over into this tour of Pakistan. There is no better time than now for the tourists to strike, as the home side’s best bowler is sidelined while the Aussies are at full strength.