PAK vs AUS: Why did Mitchell Marsh miss first T20I in Lahore?
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Mitchell Marsh missed the first PAK vs AUS T20I on January 29 at Gaddafi Stadium in Lahore.
The three-match T20I series between the Pakistan Cricket Team and Australian Cricket Team kicked off on January 29. Both sides are set to battle in a total of three encounters, which will be a platform for both to prepare for ICC T20 World Cup 2026.
The PAK vs AUS 1st T20I is set to take place on Thursday (January 29) at Gaddafi Stadium in Lahore. The next two games will also take place at the same venue on January 31 and February 1. While Mitchell Marsh is set to captain Australia in the series, Salman Agha has the reins of Pakistan.
However, Australia surprised many when Marsh’s name was not there in the XI for the opening game and Travis Head was asked lead the side.
Why Mitchell Marsh is not playing 1st PAK vs AUS T20I?
The reason behind Marsh missing the PAK vs AUS 1st T20I is he has been rested to manage their workload. He recently played in Big Bash League (BBL) 2025-26 final for Perth Scorchers, who won the title by crushing Sydney Sixers in the final on January 25 (Sunday).
Also Read: PAK vs AUS: Why did Haris Rauf miss first T20I in Lahore
Australia’s playing XI for 1st T20I vs Pakistan
Travis Head (C), Matt Short, Cameron Green, Matt Renshaw, Cooper Connolly, Mitchell Owen, Josh Philippe (WK), Jack Edwards, Xavier Bartlett, Adam Zampa, Mahli Beardman.
Meanwhile, Australia will miss the services of key members like Pat Cummins, Josh Hazlewood, and Tim David in the series as they are recovering from injuries. Moreover, Glenn Maxwell and Nathan Ellis will also be absent from their squad.
Notably, Australia lost their previous T20I series against India despite having the home advantage. They suffered a 2-1 defeat in the five-match campaign, which observed two washed-out matches. On the other hand, Pakistan (1-1) tied a three-match T20I series against Sri Lanka earlier this month.
Who is captaining Australia in 1st T20I against Pakistan?
Travis Head is captaining Australia in 1st T20I against Pakistan.
How many T20I games will be played between Pakistan and Australia?
Three T20I games will be played between Pakistan and Australia.
What is Australia’s playing XI in 1st T20I against Pakistan?
Australia’s playing XI in 1st T20I against Pakistan- Travis Head (C), Matt Short, Cameron Green, Matt Renshaw, Cooper Connolly, Mitchell Owen, Josh Philippe (WK), Jack Edwards, Xavier Bartlett, Adam Zampa, Mahli Beardman.
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Vikas Singh Derek is a core cricket-lover since childhood and has always followed the sport both in his personal and professional life. He started his school life by watching cricket at home with family. Later, he played cricket on the field at local clubs during college. After his Master's in Journalism from Mumbai, he followed his passion by covering cricket news across various digital media. Since 2015, he has been an aspiring sports journalist and cricket content writer with over 50K+ articles.