ICC World Cup 2019, Mark Taylor, Usman Khawaja
Credits: Getty

Australia, on Friday, announced their 15-man squad for the upcoming five-match ODI series against Pakistan in UAE. The defending world champions have not sprung any surprises in the squad, naming an unchanged 15-man squad that is involved in the ongoing series against India. The notable absentee from the squad is pace spearhead Mitchell Starc. The left-arm pacer missed out on the tour of India due to a recurrence of a left pectoral muscle injury during the second Test against Sri Lanka.

He was expected to return to action through the upcoming series against Pakistan but has not recovered fully yet.  Banned duo Steve Smith and David Warner will have to wait longer for their international comebacks after being ignored for the series. Currently serving the 12-month ban due to the ball-tampering scandal, Warner and Smith’s ban was set to end on March 28. Consequently, they were eligible to play the last two ODIs of the series. However, Australia have decided against reinstating the players in the team.

Australia Announce Squad For Pakistan ODIs In UAE
Mitchell Starc was not named in the team (Credits: Getty)

The duo’s recent injury woes is another reason for the snub. Both Smith and Warner recently underwent elbow surgeries and are currently undergoing rehabilitation.

“After consultation with members of the National Selection Panel, Greg Chappell and Head Coach Justin Langer, Interim EGM Team Performance Belinda Clark, CA Medical Team and both players, it has been agreed Steve Smith and David Warner will not be available for selection for the final two matches of the series against Pakistan,” Trevor Hohns, chief of selectors, said in a statement on Friday.

Read More  Shahid Afridi tears apart PCB amid rumours of Babar Azam replacing Shaheen Afridi as the Pakistan captain

“While their bans will be finished on March 28, Steve and David have been working through rehabilitation from elbow surgery and it has been agreed the best pathway for them to return to play is in the Indian Premier League, a strong competition which features some of the world’s best players,” he added.

Australia Announce Squad For Pakistan ODIs In UAE
David Warner and Steve Smith will have to wait for a while for their international comebacks (Credits: Getty)

Both the players were barred from playing in the last edition of the IPL but were retained by their respective franchises. While Warner will return to Sunrisers Hyderabad camp, Smith will ply his trade for Rajasthan Royals.

Meanwhile, Kane Richardson, who was ruled out of the ongoing limited-overs tour of India due to a side injury, is also set to return.

Australia’s ODI series against Pakistan begins on March 22 in Sharjah, with the venue also hosting the second ODI on March 24. The third ODI will be played in Abu Dhabi on March 27 while Dubai will host the last two matches on March 29 and 31.

Australia’s squad:

Aaron Finch (c), Alex Carey (vice-captain), Pat Cummins (vice-captain), Jason Behrendorff, Nathan Coulter-Nile, Peter Handscomb, Usman Khawaja, Nathan Lyon, Shaun Marsh, Glenn Maxwell, Jhye Richardson, Kane Richardson, Marcus Stoinis, Ashton Turner, Adam Zampa

Read More  Jaydev Unadkat achieves one-of-a-kind record in the IPL after the MI vs SRH clash

An avid cricket lover, I just love this game more than anything. Writing about cricket keeps me closer to the game.