Pakistan vs Australia 2nd T20I Prediction & Match Preview – Lahore
Match summary
Pakistan’s spinners won the opener against an inexperienced Australia. Our preview of the 2nd T20I at Gaddafi Stadium covers pitch, weather and likely XIs.
Match details
| Match | Pakistan vs Australia, 2nd T20I |
|---|---|
| Series | Australia tour of Pakistan 2026 |
| Date | 31 Jan 2026 |
| Start time | 11:00 am GMT / 4:00 pm local |
| Venue | Gaddafi Stadium, Lahore |
| Status | Played |
| Our pick | Australia |
| Toss pick | Pakistan |
Matches in this series
Match preview
Pakistan opened the series with a convincing win. They felt they under-used their batting, slipping to 168 for 8 after being 74 for 2, but their spinners choked the Australian innings and held the visitors to 146. Saim Ayub’s 40 off 22 balls stood out, and Sahibzada Farhan, Salman Agha, Fakhar Zaman and Babar Azam provide plenty of options at the top, with Shadab Khan and Mohammad Nawaz finishing. Shaheen Afridi and Ayub share the new ball before Abrar Ahmed, Nawaz and Shadab take over.
Australia were not far behind in game one even with three debutants. Their bowlers kept Pakistan in check in the middle overs, but the batters struggled to adjust to a slower surface. Travis Head hit 23 off 13, Cameron Green made 36 off 31, and Xavier Bartlett took 2 for 26. Adam Zampa and Mahli Beardman shared six wickets between them.
Mitchell Marsh and Marcus Stoinis were rested for the opener and could return, adding experience alongside Josh Philippe and the BBL-proven Matthew Short and Mitch Owen. If Australia handle the spin in the middle overs, they have the firepower to level the series.
Gaddafi Stadium usually favours batters, with good pace and bounce that allow free stroke play early on. The surface can slow as the game goes on, which brings spinners and bowlers with variations into the middle overs. Dew often arrives in night games and helps the chasing side, and the ground has a reputation for high scores.
Cool and comfortable conditions are forecast for around 4:00 pm local time, with temperatures of 20–21 °C, mostly cloudy skies and light winds. The chance of rain is low, so little disruption is expected.
Expected scores
| Innings | Predicted | Actual |
|---|---|---|
| First innings | 170–185 | – |
| Second innings | 160–175 | – |
Australia
Australia were competitive in the opener despite three debutants and could be strengthened by the return of Marsh and Stoinis, though Pakistan’s spin attack remains the major obstacle.
Toss pick: Pakistan
FAQ
Who is expected to win Pakistan vs Australia in the 2nd T20I?
Our preview picks Australia narrowly, mainly because they pushed Pakistan close in the first game and could add experienced players.
What happened in the first T20I?
Pakistan made 168 for 8 and then restricted Australia to 146, with their spinners doing most of the damage.
What is a competitive total in Lahore?
Around 170–175 is considered competitive, and the toss winner may lean towards batting first in afternoon conditions.
Probable XIs
Expected line-ups from our preview. c = captain, wk = wicketkeeper.
Pakistan
- Sahibzada Farhan
- Saim Ayub
- Babar Azam
- Salman Aghac
- Fakhar Zaman
- Usman Khanwk
- Shadab Khan
- Mohammad Nawaz
- Shaheen Afridi
- Salman Mirza
- Abrar Ahmed
Australia
- Travis Headc
- Matthew Short
- Cameron Green
- Matt Renshaw
- Cooper Connolly
- Mitchell Owen
- Josh Philippewk
- Jack Edwards
- Xavier Bartlett
- Adam Zampa
- Mahli Beardman
Head-to-head
Earlier meetings of Pakistan and Australia that we covered.