Live cricket updates: Australia v Pakistan, first test, day one

Mitchell Starc of Australia. Photo / Photosport

All the action as Australia take on Pakistan in the first test in Brisbane.

Sixteen-year-old Naseem Shah is ready to become the youngest cricketer ever to make his test debut in Australia, little more than a week after his mother's death in Pakistan.

Naseem, born on Feb. 15, 2003, got plenty of attention in a tour game in Perth last week not only because he tested the resolve of some experienced international batsmen, but also because it came so soon after his mother died.

Pakistan skipper Azhar Ali is confident the teenage paceman is among a group of bowlers who can help end Pakistan's long winless streak Down Under.

Flight logistics and religious customs meant Naseem couldn't make it home in time for the funeral, so he stayed in Australia and skipped the first innings of the drawn tour game against Australia A before returning with a fiery eight overs in the second innings that netted 1-21, including the wicket of test opener Marcus Harris.

"Obviously, it was a hard time for him, but he coped with it and he came out and bowled the very next day, which is very heartening," Azhar said Wednesday, on the eve of the first test at the Gabba. " We will definitely be looking to play him. He's bowling really well."

Azhar has played with Naseem at first-class level and thinks the young speedster has the fitness and the mental attitude to cope in the test arena. And he's not concerned about the home team's daunting record at the Gabba, where Australia is unbeaten since 1988.

"Not many players can reach (test) standard so early, but there are exceptions and he's one of them," Azhar said. "When I saw him first, I was so surprised. The control he had, the pace he had, and the temperament and the composure when he bowls is so exciting to see."

Other Pakistan players have made test debuts at a younger age, including fast bowler Aaqib Javed, who was 16 years, 189 days when he played New Zealand in 1989. Ian Craig, at 17 years and 239 days, was the youngest Australian to make his test debut when he started against South Africa in Melbourne in 1953.

Azhar said there's no reason to hold players back based only on their age.

"The good thing about (Naseem) is he is very fit. I have no doubts about his fitness and his bowling," Azhar said, reflecting his general confidence in a Pakistan team that he doesn't think will be overawed by Australia's record at home.

Pakistan hasn't won a test match in Australia since 1995.

"We go in here with a lot of confidence. We have the talent to do well here. We're very confident that if we execute our skills ... (we can) beat Australia. To do that, I think we have to keep believing and also play with no fear."

Along with veteran paceman Mohammad Abbas, a pair of 19-year-old pacemen are also in selection calculations, with left-armer Shaheen Shah Afridi taking 12 wickets in his three tests to date and Muhammad Musa yet to make his debut.

While most of the selection focus has been on the fast bowlers, 33-year-old wrist spinner Yasir Shah is likely to play an influential role in the series.

The Australians will be playing a test series for the first time since retaining the Ashes in England, where opening batsman David Warner averaged just 9.5 in the series. He and Steve Smith were making their test match returns from one-year ban following a ball-tampering scandal in South Africa in 2018 and had contrasting series, with Smith topping the scoring and holding many innings together for Australia.

Warner will be combining with a recalled Joe Burns at the top of a reshuffled batting order, and Australia skipper Tim Paine is confident the veteran opener will be back in scoring form.

"Just watching him the last few days, he looks like he's back to his best, the ball's making a different sound off his bat again," he said. "But the most pleasing thing about Davey was during the Ashes when he was in the worst form of his career he didn't change a bit, and a lot of players would.

Paine said Mitchell Starc was back approaching top form and he expected the left-arm paceman to play a leading role against Pakistan after missing selection for all but one of the Ashes series tests in England.

Starc and fellow pacemen Pat Cummins and Josh Hazlewood will join spinner Nathan Lyon in a pace attack containing plenty of success in local conditions.

-AP