Australia won the toss and elected to field in the first one-day international against Pakistan on Monday.
Pat Cummins, who hasn't played for Australia since T20 World Cup in June, returns to lead the side while Mitchell Marsh and Travis Head are on paternity leave for the three-match series.
The series is Australia's major preparation for next year's Champions Trophy as it is scheduled to play just one more ODI – against Sri Lanka in February.
Cameron Green is injured and will miss the entire Australian season, but expereinced batters Steven Smith and Marnus Labuschagne are in the middle-order along with the firepower of Glenn Maxwell.
Pakistan, which will host the Champions Trophy, is coming into the series with plenty of happenings around its white-ball squad and team management over the last year.
Coach Gary Kirsten resigned ahead of the series and test coach Jason Gillespie was appointed as interim coach for the Australian tour.
Babar Azam has twice stepped down from limited-overs leadership since last year's 50-over World Cup in India, with Mohammad Rizwan taking over the reins just ahead of the team's departure to Australia.
Out-of-form Babar, Shaheen Shah Afridi and Naseem Shah were omitted from the last two home test matches against England, which Pakistan won and clinched the series 2-1. All three are back for the ODIs.
Opening batter Saim Ayub and all-rounder Irfan Khan were awarded ODI debuts on Monday while Pakistan packed its playing XI with four fast bowlers – Afridi, Naseem, Mohammad Hasnain and Haris Rauf.
Ayub and Khan received their ODI caps from legendary Pakistan former captain Wasim Akram at the Melbourne Cricket Ground on Monday.
Hasnain impressed the selectors in the recent domestic ODI tournament and is making a comeback to international cricket after almost two years since last playing a one-day international against New Zealand in Jan. 2023.
Line-ups:
Pakistan: Saim Ayub, Abdullah Shafique, Babar Azam, Mohammad Rizwan (captain), Kamran Ghulam, Salman Ali Agha, Irfan Khan, Shaheen Shah Afridi, Naseem Shah, Haris Rauf, Mohammad Hasnain.
Australia: Matt Short, Jake Fraser-McGurk, Steven Smith, Marnus Labuschagne, Josh Inglis, Glenn Maxwell, Aaron Hardie, Sean Abbott, Pat Cummins (captain), Mitchell Starc, Adam Zampa.
