Australia win toss, bat against Pakistan

COLOMBO: Australian captain Ricky Ponting won the toss and opted to bat as Pakistan left out express paceman Shoaib Akhtar in the World Cup Group A match at the R. Premadasa Stadium on Saturday.

On Thursday Shoaib announced that he would retire after the World Cup and hoped he would get another chance against the defending champions.

The only change in the Pakistan side which beat Zimbabwe on Monday was the inclusion of Umar Akmal, who has recovered from a finger injury, in place of out of form opener Ahmed Shahzad.

Australia kept an unchanged side from their win over Canada on Wednesday.

Both teams have already qualified for the quarter-finals.

Australia: Ricky Ponting (captain), Shane Watson, Brad Haddin, Michael Clarke, Michael Hussey, Cameron White, Steve Smith, Mitchell Johnson, Jason Krejza, Brett Lee, Shaun Tait.

Pakistan: Shahid Afridi (captain), Misbah-ul-Haq, Mohammad Hafeez, Kamran Akmal, Younis Khan, Asad Shafiq, Umar Akmal, Abdul Razzaq, Abdur Rehman, Umar Gul, Wahab Riaz.

Umpires: Tony Hill (NZ) and Marais Erasmus (SA), Tv umpire: Tyron Wijewardena (SL)
Match referee: Chris Broad (ENG) 
source: www.geosuper.tv