Pakistan vs Australia Prediction & Match Preview – 3rd ODI, Lahore
Match summary
Pakistan and Australia meet in the third ODI at Gaddafi Stadium on 4 June 2026 with the series level. Form, likely XIs, pitch and weather inside.
Match details
| Match | Pakistan vs Australia, 3rd ODI |
|---|---|
| Series | Australia tour of Pakistan 2026 |
| Date | 4 Jun 2026 |
| Start time | 11:30 am GMT / 4:30 pm local |
| Venue | Gaddafi Stadium, Lahore |
| Status | Played |
| Our pick | Pakistan |
| Toss pick | Australia |
Matches in this series
Match preview
The third and final ODI at Gaddafi Stadium is a series decider. Pakistan started well but could not build on that momentum in the second game. Shadab Khan made a valuable contribution with the bat and Shaheen Afridi led the attack with accuracy and control, yet the team fell short collectively. They will be keen to produce a stronger all-round display on home soil.
Australia bounced back in the previous match with a dominant all-round performance. Josh Inglis, Cameron Green, Nathan Ellis and Matthew Short all made significant contributions as the visitors levelled the series, and they will now look to carry that confidence into the final game and win the tour.
Pakistan’s likely line-up is built around Sahibzada Farhan, Maaz Sadaqat, Babar Azam and Ghazi Ghori, with Shaheen Afridi captaining, while Australia are expected to again rely on Inglis as captain and wicketkeeper, with Carey, Short, Labuschagne, Green and Renshaw in the batting order and Adam Zampa in the spin department. Extreme heat could tire the bowlers early, and a flat pitch should reward strokeplay.
Gaddafi Stadium is expected to be a good batting surface with true bounce and plenty of runs. The powerplay is a good time to score as the ball comes onto the bat. Fast bowlers may find some early movement, though scoring tends to get easier, and spinners can use variation in the middle overs even though turn is rarely big. In day-night games dew can make gripping the ball hard in the second innings, though it may be minimal this time.
Very hot and dry weather is expected on the afternoon of 4 June, with temperatures forecast at about 44–46°C and a feels-like figure that could exceed 47°C. Sunshine will be bright, humidity low and the chance of rain very small. Light to moderate winds will offer only limited relief.
Expected scores
| Innings | Predicted | Actual |
|---|---|---|
| First innings | 300–330 | – |
| Second innings | 280–315 | – |
Pakistan
With the series on the line at home, we expect Pakistan to bounce back, though Australia arrive with momentum after levelling the series.
Toss pick: Australia
FAQ
What is the state of the series?
Pakistan won the opener and Australia levelled the series in the second ODI, so this match is the decider.
How hot will it be in Lahore?
The forecast is for roughly 44–46°C with a feels-like temperature above 47°C.
What is a strong total?
A score of 310 or more is a strong total, and 330 or more could be match-winning.
Probable XIs
Expected line-ups from our preview. c = captain, wk = wicketkeeper.
Pakistan
- Sahibzada Farhan
- Maaz Sadaqat
- Babar Azam
- Ghazi Ghoriwk
- Arafat Minhas
- Salman Agha
- Abdul Samad
- Shadab Khan
- Shaheen Afridic
- Haris Rauf
- Abrar Ahmed
Australia
- Alex Carey
- Matthew Short
- Josh Inglisc, wk
- Marnus Labuschagne
- Cameron Green
- Matt Renshaw
- Oliver Peake
- Nathan Ellis
- Tanveer Sangha
- Matthew Kuhnemann
- Adam Zampa
Head-to-head
Earlier meetings of Pakistan and Australia that we covered.