Australia are likely to tour Pakistan without several frontline players as Cricket Australia has confirmed that its cricketers will be allowed to complete their Indian Premier League commitments.
The three-match ODI series begins on May 30, just one day before the IPL final.
Key Australian players are unlikely to be available for the upcoming tour of Pakistan because of the IPL playoffs.
According to the Cricket Australia website and a CA spokesperson, Australian players who are still involved in the IPL will be allowed to complete their franchise commitments.
The spokesperson said the players “will still be in the IPL and will complete their commitments.”
Cummins unlikely to travel to Pakistan
Australia’s regular ODI captain Pat Cummins is also not expected to come to Pakistan if his IPL commitments continue. Cummins is among around a dozen Australian players currently featuring in the Indian Premier League.
His possible absence could leave Australia needing a stand-in captain for the three-match ODI series against Pakistan.
Travis Head, Mitchell Starc and Josh Hazlewood are also likely to miss the Pakistan tour due to the IPL schedule. Other Australians currently playing in India include Tim David, Xavier Bartlett, Cooper Connolly, Marcus Stoinis, Josh Inglis, Cameron Green and Matthew Short.
The IPL league stage will end on May 24, by which time many players will be released as six of the 10 teams will be eliminated.
However, players such as Cummins, Head, David, Hazlewood, Bartlett and Connolly may have to stay in India if their teams qualify for the playoffs.
Marsh or Inglis could lead ODI side
With Pat Cummins unlikely to be available, Mitchell Marsh or Josh Inglis may be handed the leadership of Australia’s ODI team. Marsh previously stood in for Cummins during his injury layoff.
Josh Inglis is also being viewed as a possible leadership option if senior players remain unavailable because of the IPL.
Marnus Labuschagne, Adam Zampa and Alex Carey are among the candidates for inclusion in Australia’s ODI squad for the Pakistan series.
Labuschagne and Zampa recently participated in the Pakistan Super League, giving them recent experience of local conditions. Their availability could strengthen Australia’s squad if IPL-based players are ruled out of the tour.
ODI series overlaps with IPL final stages
The clarification from Cricket Australia came after CA and the Pakistan Cricket Board jointly announced the three-match ODI series on Thursday, May 7.
Australia’s ODI squad is scheduled to arrive in Islamabad on May 23. The timing clearly overlaps with the business end of the IPL, which concludes on May 31.
Pakistan to host three-match ODI series
Pakistan will host Australia in a three-match One Day International series. The first ODI will be played at Rawalpindi Cricket Stadium on May 30.
The second and third ODIs will be played at Gaddafi Stadium in Lahore on June 2 and 4.
This will be Australia’s first ODI series in Pakistan since March and April 2022. Australia also toured Pakistan in January and February this year for a three-match T20 International series at Gaddafi Stadium in Lahore.
Pakistan won that T20I series 3-0.
Australia also played matches in Pakistan during the ICC Champions Trophy 2025.
Squad availability depends on IPL playoffs
The final shape of Australia’s ODI squad will depend on which players are released from the IPL after the league stage.
If their franchises fail to qualify for the playoffs, some Australian players may become available.
But those involved in playoff-bound teams are not expected to leave India early for the Pakistan tour, as Cricket Australia has made it clear that IPL commitments will not be interrupted.
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