Australia set to tour Pakistan for ODIs without key players

The Australia cricket team is scheduled to tour Pakistan for a three-match ODI series starting May 30, 2026. However, they will be without key players such as Pat Cummins, Josh Hazlewood, Mitchell Starc, and Travis Head due to overlapping IPL commitments. The series will take place in Rawalpindi and Lahore.

What are the match dates for the ODI series?

The ODI series will kick off on May 30 in Rawalpindi, with the following two matches at Gaddafi Stadium in Lahore on June 2 and June 4. All matches will begin at 4:30 PM local time. Australia is set to arrive in Islamabad on May 23 to prepare for the series.

This series marks Australia’s first ODI tour of Pakistan since March 2022, when Pakistan won the series 2-1. Earlier in 2026, Australia visited Pakistan for a T20I series, which Pakistan won decisively 3-0 at Gaddafi Stadium.

How will player absences affect the team?

Due to the IPL playoffs running from May 26 to 31, several senior players are expected to remain in India with their franchises. Cricket Australia is cautious about managing the workload of key players ahead of a busy Test schedule later in the year.

The absence of these senior players may lead to a younger squad for the tour, with players like Alex Carey, Adam Zampa, Marnus Labuschagne and Matt Renshaw likely to take senior roles.

What is Pakistan's recent performance?

Pakistan will participate in this ODI series after completing a two-match Test series in Bangladesh from May 8 to 20. The team aims to regain momentum in the 50-over format after suffering a recent 2-1 defeat against Bangladesh.

They will look to capitalize on home advantage in this series against Australia.