Matt Kuhnemann hopes for spin-friendly conditions in Lahore

Australian cricketer Matt Kuhnemann has said he is hopeful that Lahore will offer spin-friendly conditions similar to Rawalpindi, as his team prepares for the next matches of the series against Pakistan.

Speaking to the media at Gaddafi Stadium, Kuhnemann noted that the pitch in Rawalpindi was slow and made batting challenging.

“The pitch in Rawalpindi was quite slow and the ball was not coming well onto the bat,” he said.

He added that Australia remains focused on playing competitive cricket in the ongoing series. “We will try to play good cricket here,” he stated.

Reflecting on the first match, Kuhnemann praised Pakistan’s bowling performance but suggested that a slightly higher total could have changed the outcome.

“Pakistan bowled well in the first match. If we had scored 20 to 40 more runs, it would have been a good match,” he remarked.

The Australian batter said the team’s immediate focus is on winning the series rather than looking ahead to future tournaments.

“At the moment we are thinking of winning the series against Pakistan. We are not thinking that far ahead including the World Cup; right now the focus is only on the series,” he said.

He also provided an update on team fitness, saying injured spinner Adam Zampa is likely to return to the squad. Kuhnemann further described Mitchell Marsh as a key player for Australia, calling him a “world-class player and an important part of the team.”

Commenting on conditions in Pakistan, he acknowledged the heat but said it becomes more manageable during match play. “It is definitely hot during the day, but the intensity of the heat decreases when the match is played,” he added.