Pakistan captain Shahid Afridi won the toss and elected to bat against Australia. This was the teams’ first meeting since Australia beat Pakistan by three wickets in a thrilling World Twenty20 semi-final in St Lucia in May.

Michael Hussey was Australia’s hero on that occasion, with an unbeaten 60 off 24 balls including 18 off the last over, although his side went on to lose to England in the final.

Pakistan made four changes from the team that played in that match with fit-again fast bowlers Shoaib Akhtar and Umar Gul replacing spinners Mohammad Hafeez and Abdur Rehman.

Shoaib Malik replaced fellow batsman Misbah-ul-Haq and Shazaib Hasan came in for Khalid Latif.

Australia made just the one change with wicketkeeper Tim Paine in for the injured Brad Haddin.

The second match of this series takes place at Edgbaston here on Tuesday before, later this month, Pakistan and Australia play two Tests at Lord’s and Headingley.

Australia came into this match on the back of beating England by 42 runs in the fifth one-day international at Lord’s on Saturday, although the hosts won the series 3-2.

Michael Clarke, Australia’s Twenty20 captain, was passed fit after missing the Lord’s match with a back injury while left-arm quick Mitchell Johnson, who was out of the early part of the tour with an elbow injury, was also included.

Pakistan, meanwhile, completed their preparations with a six-wicket win over English county side Northamptonshire.

The Pakistan-Australia fixtures, originally scheduled as home games for the Pakistanis, are being played in England because of concerns over the security situation in Pakistan.

Teams

Australia: Shane Watson, David Warner, Michael Clarke (capt), David Hussey, Cameron White, Michael Hussey, Tim Paine (wkt), Steven Smith, Mitchell Johnson, Dirk Nannes, Shaun Tait

Pakistan: Shazaib Hasan, Salman Butt, Kamran Akmal (wkt), Umar Akmal, Shoaib Malik, Shahid Afridi (capt), Abdul Razzaq, Mohammad Aamer, Umar Gul, Shoaib Akhtar, Saeed Ajmal

Umpires: Nadeem Ghouri (PAK) and Aleem Dar (PAK)

TV umpire: Ahsan Raza (PAK)

Match referee: Javagal Srinath (IND)