After a nightmare start to their series against Australia, Pakistan will hope for some bouncebackability powers when the two teams lock horns again in the 1st ODI in Sharjah.
The lone T20 international did not go Pakistan's way, as the Australian spinners took full advantage of a turning track to put the "home" team's batsman right behind the eight ball.
Pakistan eventually only managed a well below par 96 for nine in Dubai, with Australia easing home to a six-wicket victory in just 14 overs, courtesy a typically blazing half-century from David Warner.
ODI skipper Misbah-ul-Haq tried to defend his players by pointing at the fact that the batsmen just aren't used to playing quality spin bowling anymore.
"Sometimes it happens," Misbah was quoted as saying by ESPNCricinfo on Monday. "When you are not having more spinners at the domestic level, batsmen are not facing more good spinners in domestic competitions and you are not used to facing them.
"You need good spinners at domestic level and you need to have some turners there so the batsmen can get used to them. It is a big factor and if you see, some of the batsmen who have played more of their cricket in Karachi on pitches where it turns a little bit, and they have faced more spinners, they play spin well."
However, the bottom line is there is no way Pakistan should have crumbled like they did in that T20 match, with some of their batsmen playing poor shots when the situation called to be a little more circumspect.
Pakistan will hope for a better outing with the bat in the longer format of the limited-overs game, knowing full well if they bat like they did on Sunday, then this first ODI will get over pretty quickly.
From Australia's point of view, the start was as good as they could have hoped for and George Bailey and co. will look for another solid all-round performance in the first one-dayer.
While the pitch will probably not be as much of a turner as the one in Dubai, Australia also have the fast bowling ammunition to trouble the Pakistan batsmen.
"I thought what the T20 side did really well was they started well," said ODI skipper George Bailey who was not part of the team that got that comfortable win over Pakistan. "They grabbed the momentum early and put Pakistan on the back foot and we will certainly be looking to replicate that."
Australia will also know that Pakistan's bowling has been weakened by the absence of Saeed Ajmal, who certainly would have been a handful, and then some, on that pitch in Dubai.
"It will provide opportunities for some other spinners in the Pakistani lineup," added Bailey when asked how Pakistan will cope without Ajmal. "Pakistan will definitely be trying to prove that they do not rely too much on Ajmal.
"From an opposition perspective, it will pose different challenges but if you look at his record over a number of years there is no doubt he has been very, very important for Pakistan."
Where to Watch Live
The 1st ODI is scheduled for a 2 pm local time (3.30 pm IST, 3 pm PST) start with live coverage in India on Ten Cricket and Ten HD. Viewers in India can watch the match via live streaming online via Ten Sports Live.
PTV Sports will show the match live in Pakistan, while viewers can also choose the option to watch the match via live streaming on PTV Sports Live Streaming. Audience in the UAE can catch the action on Ten Cricket UAE.
Australia viewers can catch the match on Fox Sports Australia, with the option to live stream also available via their online option. US viewers can catch the game on Willow TV or Willow TV Online.
Expected lineups: Pakistan: Ahmed Shehzad, Umar Amin, Misbah-ul-Haq (capt), 5 Fawad Alam, Sohaib Maqsood, Umar Akmal, Shahid Afridi, Wahab Riaz, Raza Hasan, Zulfiqar Babar, Mohammad Irfan.
Australia: Aaron Finch, David Warner, George Bailey (capt), Glenn Maxwell, Steven Smith, Brad Haddin, James Faulkner, Mitchell Johnson, Mitchell Starc, Kane Richardson, Nathan Lyon.
