Pat Cummins To Lead As Australia ODI Squad For Pakistan Series Announced

by Jatin SharmaOctober 14, 2024

Pat Cummins has returned to captain Australia as the ODI squad for the Pakistan series was announced on October 14, 2024. The squad also sees Jake Fraser-McGurk being picked as an opener.

Australia’s 14-player squad does not contain Travis Head or Mitch Marsh, who are both on paternity leave, leaving Fraser-McGurk and Matt Short to start the batting.

The predicted Test front-line pace assault of Pat Cummins, who will skipper Australia’s ODI team for the first time since winning the 2023 ODI World Cup, Mitchell Starc, and Josh Hazlewood, as well as hitters Steve Smith and Marnus Labuschagne, has been named.

Fraser-McGurk stunned Australian viewers in February with a scorching start to his international career against the West Indies but fell back to earth on September’s UK tour with a string of disappointing T20I scores against Scotland.

Fraser-McGurk answered with a 30-ball 50 against England, but he was not selected for the subsequent five-match ODI series.

Glenn Maxwell, Josh Inglis and Adam Zampa return; Pat Cummins named captain

Cooper Connolly, who earned his ODI and T20 debuts on the UK tour in September, has also been picked, as has emerging star allrounder Aaron Hardie.

Regulars in the white-ball squad include Glenn Maxwell, Adam Zampa, and wicketkeeper-batsman Josh Inglis. Marcus Stoinis returns to the ODI squad after missing matches against England.

Sean Abbott, a backup seamer, also keeps his spot. Nathan Ellis, Xavier Bartlett, Ben Dwarshuis, and Riley Meredith all withdrew from the UK tour early due to injuries, while left-arm pacer Spencer Johnson was ruled out with a side strain before it even began. None have yet returned to play.

The three-match ODI series between Australia and Pakistan will be contested in Melbourne, Adelaide, and Perth. The three ODIs will take place on November 4, 8, and 10.

After the ODI series, the two teams will play three T20Is. It will be an entertaining series because both sides will be seeking to prepare for the Champions Trophy 2025, which will take place in February and March of next year. Pat Cummins took a break from the England tour.

Australia ODI squad: Pat Cummins (c), Sean Abbott, Cooper Connolly, Jake Fraser-McGurk, Aaron Hardie, Josh Hazlewood, Josh Inglis, Marnus Labuschagne, Glenn Maxwell, Matthew Short, Steve Smith, Mitchell Starc, Marcus Stoinis, Adam Zampa