Pakistan-Australia Test series: What do the experts say?

Pakistan and Australia will clash on Friday in the first Test of the three-match series at Pindi Cricket Stadium under heavy security as the Men In Green face the Aussies on their home ground for the first time in 24 years.

In three Tests played in Rawalpindi, since the revival of Test cricket in Pakistan in 2019, fast bowlers have dominated the matches and snapped up 52 wickets. On the other hands spinners have taken only 21 wickets.

Australia have not won an away Test series since their tour of New Zealand in 2016, but have an experienced line-up capable of adapting to new conditions.

Australia skipper Patrick Cummins oversaw his side's 4-1 Ashes romp against England in his first series in charge. The speedster is confident that they can assert their dominance against Babar Azam and co.

Pakistan captain Babar Azam also led the Green Shirts to a 2-0 Test series sweep against Bangladesh and is looking forward to triumphing over Australia on home ground.

The last time the two sides met in a Test series was in 2019 in Brisbane and Adelaide where Australia won the series 2-0. In 2018, in UAE, the Aussies lost the two-match series 1-0.

Here are experts' predictions about the series:

Faizan Lakhani

• Most runs — Babar Azam
• Most wickets — Shaheen Shah Afridi
• Player of the Series — Shaheen Shah Afridi
• Player to watch — Shaheen Shah Afridi

Sohail Imran

• Most runs — Babar Azam, Shan Masood
• Most wickets — Sajid Khan
• Player of the Series — Babar Azam, Shan Masood
• Player to watch — Marnus Labuschagne

Abdul Majid Bhatti

• Most runs — Azhar Ali
• Most wickets — Sajid Khan
• Player of the Series — Babar Azam
• Player to watch — Steve Smith

Possible playing XI for Pakistan:

Faizan Lakhani 

Abdullah Shafique, Shan Masood, Babar Azam, Fawad Alam, Mohammad Rizwan, Mohammad Wasim Jnr, Nauman Ali, Sajid Khan, Shaheen Shah Afridi, Naseem Shah

Sohail Imran

Shan Masood, Abdullah Shafique, Azhar Ali, Babar Azam, Mohammad Rizwan, Fawad Alam, Mohammad Wasim Jnt, Sajid Khan, Shaheen Shah Afridi, Naseem Shah, Nauman Ali

Abdul Majid Bhatti

Shan Masood, Abdullah Shafique, Azhar Ali, Babar Azam, Mohammad Rizwan, Fawad Alam, Iftikhar Ahmed, Naseem Shah, Shaheen Shah Afridi, Nauman Ali, Sajid Khan