The ongoing series between Australia and Pakistan will come to a close with the only T20 match to be played at the Dubai Sports City cricket stadium. It will be the final international encounter for either teams before they head for England to participate in the ICC T20 World Cup.

Australia and Pakistan have met only once before in a T20 match and that was in the previous World Cup in 2007. They'd played each other in the Super Eight stage and the eventual runners-up Pakistan had upstaged their more fancied opponents then. It would be a different stage now with the Australians deciding to rest Micheal Clarke has well. The regular vice-captain of the team has flown back home to get some much needed rest and in his place wicket-keeper batsman Brad Haddin will take over the reins of the team. Surprisingly, he stated though that the game wouldn't be all that important from any preparation point of view as the team was to have a 2-week break after it. He went on to say that most of his teammates had "been on the road for a long time" and the opportunity to recharge their batteries after this game was most welcome. The selectors however would be closely watching Brett Lee bowl in the game; their Chairman of selectors Andrew Hilditch has already gone on record to say that his selection represented a sizeable gamble.

Pakistan, who've picked up two teenagers in their squad for the World Cup, Mohammad Aamir and Shazaib Hassan wont be playing either of them as they look to pick from the same squad that played the ODI series. Skipper Younis Khan sounded upbeat as he said that his team will take the game very seriously as it wanted to know where it stood. Despite losing the ODI series and the fact that T20 is an entirely different ball-game, Pakistan will be keen to carry on the momentum that came from the win in the final one-dayer which the 'hosts' won quite convincingly in the end.

Tag :- Australia   Dubai Sports City   ICC T20 World Cup   Micheal Clarke   Mohammad Aamir   Pakistan   Shazaib Hassan   T20