Rawalpindi: Wicketkeeper batter Alex Carey reckons Australia might need to put at least 400 runs on the board if they bat first against South Africa in their upcoming Champions Trophy Group B clash on the placid surface of Rawalpindi on Tuesday.
Rawalpindi has been home to some gripping ODI affairs in the past. The 50-over action returned to the iconic venue after two years, with New Zealand squaring off against Bangladesh at the venue in the ongoing ICC Champions Trophy on Monday.
Australia began its campaign by pulling off a record-breaking 352-run chase against arch-rival England at the picturesque Gaddafi Stadium in Lahore.
Even though the 300-run mark has been breached just once in Rawalpindi in the past five matches, Carey is keen on putting up a high score, considering how Pakistan surfaces have played out throughout the tournament.
"We might need to make 400 if we bat first. I think it's always good to play one-day cricket when the scores are high. Being a part of it is a lot of fun. So, we'll wait and see how it looks in New Zealand and Bangladesh (match), but I expect throughout the tournament, there will be some pretty high scores, and if the dew does come in and set onto the ground, it can be quite hard to defend," Carey said in the pre-match press conference.
Australia is light on its pace bowling attack, considering the absence of its star-studded pace trio - Mitchell Starc, Pat Cummins, and Josh Hazlewood.
Marcus Stoins' sudden retirement before the tournament left them without a fifth bowling option and a middle-order batting option. Experienced all-rounder Mitchell Marsh's ankle injury before the tournament took another option for Australia.
Carey weighed in on the concerns over Australia's fifth bowling option Steve Smith's tactical prowess.
"Not concerning look, I think England played really well, and I just think the other night, I think whoever bowled it was going to be difficult in those conditions, so I think it's a great chance to throw the ball around, you know at times we might see Marnus bowl, Matt Short, Travis Head I think the way that Steve Smith uses the bowlers is a strength of ours," he said.
"Smudge is a great captain tactically, and he reads the play really well. So, no, I'm still really confident with, you know, 50 overs of bowling. However, that looks for us. We'll do a good job trying to defend as much as possible, and then if we are to bat first, trying to take early wickets is key. Defend through the middle and hold it tight at the end," he added. (ANI)