Pakistan and Australia will face each other in their final T20 International assignment on Sunday, February 1, at the Gaddafi Stadium in Lahore before embarking on their ICC T20 World Cup 2026 journey in Sri Lanka and India.
For the third and final T20I, Pakistan Playing XI vs Australia Playing XI will be their final chance to finalize their competitive XI ahead of the ICC T20 World Cup 2026, starting on February 7. Both teams will be eager to end their World Cup preparation on a strong note in Lahore.
Pakistan has already taken a 2-0 lead in the T20I series and will be aiming to finish their home campaign in style. Salman Ali Agha’s team has been dominant, with the spinners emerging as the stars. Their strong spin attack will once again lead the Playing XI.
For Australia, the third and final T20I will be a chance to try out new combinations and experiment with the batting order as they prepare for the ICC T20 World Cup 2026. Mitchell Marsh will be keen to help Australia avoid a T20I series sweep in Pakistan.
This article provides the probable playing XIs for Pakistan and Australia in the third T20I, along with likely team combinations and key players to watch at the Gaddafi Stadium in Lahore.
Pakistan Playing XI vs Australia Playing XI—3rd T20I
Pakistan Playing XI vs Australia – 3rd T20I
Openers: Saim Ayub and Sahibzada Farhan
Pakistan has found a perfect left-right combination at the top in the form of the young left-handed batter Saim Ayub and right-handed batter Sahibzada Farhan. They are expected to continue opening the batting in the third Pakistan vs. Australia T20I match in Lahore.
Saim Ayub is one of the most aggressive shot makers for Pakistan in the powerplay, and he would love to do it in the final game, having already hammered 63 runs at an excellent strike rate of over 190 in the first two games against the Kangaroos.
He will once again be paired alongside Sahibzada Farhan, who is currently struggling with the bat. Farhan had scored a duck and five runs in the first two T20Is, so he would be keen on returning among the runs in the final game before T20 World Cup 2026.
Middle-Order Batters and All-Rounders: Salman Ali Agha (c), Babar Azam, Usman Khan (wk), Mohammad Nawaz, Shadab Khan, and Faheem Ashraf
Salman Ali Agha will once again look to lead the batting line from the front, as he is already the leading run scorer in the ongoing home series against Australia with 115 runs in two games. Usman Khan is also in fine touch, scoring 71 runs, and he will share the middle-order duty with Babar Azam, who is struggling for the runs.
However, the Men in Green have a solid army of all-rounders, who can step up and score runs for them. Faheem Ashraf is likely to be tested in the final game, and he is a handy batter, apart from being an impressive pacer.
Then, they have the experienced all-rounders Mohammad Nawaz and Shadab Khan, who will be crucial in their quest for the historic whitewash on Australia. Shadab is particularly in stunning form, scoring 29 runs in this series while striking at 120.83, and has also taken four wickets at just 12.75. Nawaz also scored 24 runs and took two wickets.
Bowlers: Shaheen Afridi, Usman Tariq, Abrar Ahmed
Shaheen Afridi is expected to deliver with the new ball in the final T20I after being rested for the second game following his not-so-impressive first match outing. Afridi and Faheem Ashraf will share the pace bowling department in the final T20I.
Leg-spinner Abrar Ahmed and off-spinner Usman Tariq will form a lethal spin attack for Pakistan, and they will have an impressive hand of Shadab as well.
Abrar has been a big threat for Australia in this series. The leg-spinner has taken five wickets, picking up a wicket almost every 8.4 balls. Usman Tariq will be completing the attack, having made an instant impact with 2/16 in the series-clinching second T20I against Australia on January 31.
Pakistan Playing XI: Saim Ayub, Sahibzada Farhan, Salman Ali Agha (c), Babar Azam, Usman Khan (wk), Mohammad Nawaz, Shadab Khan, Faheem Ashraf, Shaheen Afridi, Usman Tariq, Abrar Ahmed.
Australia Playing XI vs Pakistan – 3rd T20I
Openers: Travis Head and Mitchell Marsh (c)
Travis Head and captain Mitchell Marsh will open the innings for Australia in the third T20I in Lahore. In the previous game, Marsh could manage only 18 runs, while Head scored only 27 runs in two games. Their form is a big worry for Australia, so they would be keen on getting back into form.
Read Also: PAK vs AUS Match Prediction: Who Will Win 3rd T20I? Australia tour of Pakistan 2026
However, both Head and Marsh are two of the most dangerous openers in the world, and they can take the game away from the opposition in the powerplay itself. Their form will be key in Australia avoiding whitewashing in Pakistan ahead of the T20 World Cup 2026.
Middle-Order Batters and All-Rounders: Cameron Green, Matthew Short, Josh Inglis (wk), Cooper Connolly, Marcus Stoinis, Matt Short
Cameron Green is likely to bat at number three to anchor the innings for Australia. Green is Australia’s leading run scorer in this series with 71 runs in two matches. Matthew Short is also expected to be drafted in the playing XI, given his all-round numbers and off-spin bowling.
Josh Inglis and Cooper Connolly will be crucial to bat against spinners during the middle overs, while Marcus Stoinis will have the extra responsibility to deliver with the bat as Australia is aiming to save pride in the final encounter in Pakistan.
Bowlers: Xavier Bartlett, Adam Zampa, Matthew Kuhnemann
Since the Lahore pitch is expected to assist the spinners, Matthew Kuhnemann and Adam Zampa will be key for the Australian side. However, the left-arm spinner Kuhnemann was expensive in the second T20I, but he can be dangerous on the used Lahore surface.
Adam Zampa has been Australia’s standout bowler in the series. He has scalped five wickets for just 51 runs in eight overs, dismissing batters at an average of only 10.2. Apart from Zampa, Xavier Bartlett also holds the key.
Bartlett has taken three wickets at 26 and has scored 44 runs while striking at 129.41 so far on the Pakistan tour. Bartlett will share the pace bowling duty with Green and Stoinis in the final game.
Australia Playing XI: Travis Head, Mitchell Marsh (c), Cameron Green, Matthew Short, Josh Inglis (wk), Cooper Connolly, Marcus Stoinis, Matt Short, Xavier Bartlett, Adam Zampa, Matthew Kuhnemann.
