Paceman Xavier Bartlett delighted to have any opportunity to represent Australia

Xavier Bartlett is eager to bowl well on Thursday night when he’s set to play for Australia for the first time at his home ground, the Gabba.

Xavier Bartlett is grateful for any opportunity to represent Australia, even if it’s in a weakened team in white-ball games against Pakistan considered to be largely overlooked in the build-up to the Test series against India.

Cricket Australia was panned for seemingly not caring about Australia’s three-match home one-day international series against Pakistan – won 2-1 by the visitors – after withdrawing a host of Test stars as the series progressed.

The white-ball action continues on Thursday night at the Gabba with the first of three T20 internationals between Australia and Pakistan.

Again, the hosts will field an understrength team, with the absentees including the nation’s top three fast bowlers – Pat Cummins, Mitch Starc and Josh Hazlewood.

It means the likes of Bartlett, Spencer Johnson, Nathan Ellis and Sean Abbott will share the pace bowling responsibilities across the series.

Xavier Bartlett hopes to impress at the Gabba. Picture: Matt King/Getty Images

“I think it’s just a great opportunity,” Queenslander Bartlett said on Tuesday.

“As long as you get the chance to play cricket for Australia, it’s really a childhood dream.

“Whether it’s (because of) people being unavailable, we’ve just going to try to look at every game as it comes and to take your opportunity.”

Bartlett, who has recently recovered from a side strain, said Australia was seeking redemption after disappointing performances with the bat and ball in the ODI series loss to Pakistan.

“It was tough series loss, but Pakistan are playing some great cricket,” he said.

“It was disappointing to go down, but we’ll take some positives out of that and take some momentum into this T20 series.

“We’ve spoken about just trying to take wickets … and try to make early inroads, which will go a long way.”

A crowd of about 20,000 has been predicted for Thursday’s clash; however, wet and stormy Brisbane conditions could be a factor in the attendance.

“It’s a pretty exciting opportunity to play in front of a home crowd, family and friends,” said Bartlett, who is set to represent Australia in Brisbane for the first time.

“It’s a really good cricket wicket, so it should make for entertaining cricket, that’s for sure.”

No foreign banter getting past these two!

Time for Glenn Maxwell and Mitch Marsh to brush up on their Hindi and Urdu ahead of a massive summer against Pakistan and India #AUSvPAKpic.twitter.com/JIwEZ1KAiW

— Cricket Australia (@CricketAus) November 2, 2024

Bartlett was just as excited for his “best mate” Nathan McSweeney, who is set to make his Test debut next week against India in Perth at the top of Australia’s batting order.

“To see his journey from when we were at about 11 or 12 to where he is now, making his Test debut, it’s unbelievable – I’m absolutely stoked for him,” he said of Brisbane-born McSweeney, who captains South Australia in the Sheffield Shield competition

“He’s worked so hard and took the opportunity to go down to South Australia, and I couldn’t be prouder.

“I can’t wait to see him go out there and hopefully go well for Australia.”

Originally published as Paceman Xavier Bartlett delighted to have any opportunity to represent Australia