Babar Azam says Pakistan are ready to give Australia a "tough time" when a historic three-match series gets under way at Rawalpindi Cricket Stadium on Friday.
Australia will be playing their first Test in Pakistan for 24 years and the two nations will be competing for the honour of lifting the Benaud-Qadir Trophy for the first time.
Pakistan whitewashed Bangladesh 2-0 in their last Test series, but they will have to do without the injured Hasan Ali and Faheem Ashraf along with Haris Rauf – who tested positive for coronavirus.
Australia are top of the rankings after thrashing England 4-0 to retain the Ashes, but Babar says Pakistan can bring them back down to earth.
The Pakistan captain said: "It did disturb our combination, especially injuries to Faheem and Hasan. Faheem contributes both with ball and bat, and Hasan is one of the top bowlers, a proven match-winner.
"Still, we have Shaheen Shah Afridi and Naseem Shah, who both are bowling well, and Fawad Alam and [Mohammad] Rizwan in good batting form. Australia is one of the best sides, we can't take it easy against them.
"We did well against Bangladesh. In this series, too, we will do well and give them a tough time. Fans can expect quality cricket from us."
Andrew McDonald has been installed as Australia's interim head coach after Justin Langer's departure.
Both Babar and Australia skipper Pat Cummins revealed they will wait until the coin toss to name their sides after they were unable to take a look at the pitch due to rain on Thursday.
Cummins said: "We're pretty sure [what the team will be] but we just want to have another look at the wicket, and we probably won't get the chance today, so we'll have a think late this arvo [afternoon] to work out the XI, or tomorrow morning,
"We've got a fair idea what we want to do, but don't want to make the call too early without fully knowing what the wicket is."
Australia were 1-0 winners in their last Test series in Pakistan back in 1998.
Babar to rack up the runs in Rawalpindi again?
Rawalpindi Cricket Stadium has been a happy hunting ground for run machine Babar.
The prolific skipper has scored two centuries and a half-century in his four Tests at the venue, where he averages 110 in the longest format.
Babar's last reached three figures in a Test in Rawalpindi just over two years ago, making 143 versus Bangladesh.
Warner a thorn in Pakistan's side
David Warner has a staggering average of 108.4 against Pakistan in the longest format – the best of any player in any history to have been at the crease at least six times against them.
That average soared after the Australia opener made a magnificent 335 not out when the Pakistan attack toiled in the second Test at Adelaide Oval in 2019. Warner also scored a hundred in the first match of that series, which Australia won 2-0.
Warner will be eager to put the misery of bagging a pair in his last Test, against England in Hobart, behind him when he bats in Pakistan for the first time in a Test.
Marmoush makes Frankfurt history with 10th Bundesliga goal of season
Omar Marmoush made club history with his goal in Eintracht Frankfurt's 7-2 win over Bochum.
The forward was on target and provided two assists as Dino Toppmoller's side leapfrogged reigning Bundesliga champions Bayer Leverkusen to third place in the table.
Marmoush notched up his 10th goal of the season, becoming the first Frankfurt player to achieve the feat in the opening nine matches of a Bundesliga season.
The Egypt international broke Tony Yeboah's record of nine goals in as many matchdays, set during the 1993-94 campaign.
With his two assists, Marmoush took his tally of direct goal contributions for this season to 16, the joint-most in the Bundesliga along with Bayern Munich striker Harry Kane.
In fact, Kane is the only player to have previously registered more direct goal contributions after the first nine games of a Bundesliga campaign, with 17 last term.
Southampton 1-0 Everton: Late Armstrong strike seals Saints' first win
Adam Armstrong's late goal gave Southampton their first Premier League win of the season as they beat Everton 1-0 at St Mary's.
Armstrong’s first league strike of the season came in the 85th minute of Saturday's tightly fought contest, while lifting the Saints off the foot of the table.
Aaron Ramsdale had earlier kept the scores level with a fine save from Michael Keane's close-range header, while substitute Beto nodded against the crossbar.
Southampton broke through five minutes from time when substitute Yukinari Sugawara's low centre was superbly swept home by Armstrong.
Everton thought they had an equaliser when Beto raced in behind and finished brilliantly beyond Ramsdale.
However, a VAR review showed that the Brazilian had strayed offside, and the goal was overturned, to the delight of the home fans, who celebrated a Premier League victory for the first time since March 2023.
Data Debrief: Saints off the mark
Southampton finally have their first victory on the board courtesy of Armstrong's strike which, timed at 84 minutes and 33 seconds, is their latest Premier League winning goal since Charlie Austin struck six seconds later against Arsenal in December 2018.
The Saints also recorded their 14th Premier League win against Everton at home, now their outright most against a single opponent in the competition.
As for the Toffees, their five-game unbeaten league run comes to an end, and they have now lost 11 of their last 15 league games in November.
Ipswich Town 1-1 Leicester City: Late Ayew strike denies hosts first win
Jordan Ayew's stoppage-time equaliser snatched a point for Leicester City, who held 10-man Ipswich Town to a 1-1 draw.
The Foxes substitute cancelled out Leif Davis' volley earlier in the second half to deny the hosts' the first win of the season at Portman Road.
Ipswich broke through 10 minutes after the restart when Davis marked his 100th appearance for the club with a superbly timed volley from Sam Morsy's crossfield pass.
However, they were forced to finish the final 13 minutes a man light after Kalvin Phillips' dismissal for a second bookable offence.
The hosts were given a scare when, within moments of his introduction, Ayew chipped Arijanet Muric, only to be thwarted on the line by Cameron Burgess.
However, the Ghanaian and Leicester were not to be denied. In the 94th minute, Ayew played a neat one-two with Jamie Vardy before slotting home to ensure a share of the spoils.
Data Debrief: Ipswich's wait goes on
Ipswich have now failed to win any of their first 10 Premier League games this season. Only in 2009-10 (14) and 2018-19 (11) have they begun a league campaign with a longer winless streak.
Having also let a two-goal lead slip at Brentford last time out, Kieran McKenna's side have now dropped a league-high 12 points from winning positions this term.
As for Leicester, they left it late once more, with Ayew's 98th-minute winner sealing a 3-2 victory over Southampton from 2-0 down in their last league game away from home.
The Foxes continue their record as one of only two sides - along with reigning champions Manchester City - to score in all 10 of their matches this season.
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