Australia has announced its 17-member squad for the upcoming three-match T20I series against Pakistan, starting on January 29 at Gaddafi Stadium in Lahore. This is the last T20 assignment for both teams ahead of the T20 World Cup in India and Sri Lanka.
Few new names have been added to the squad, and several veteran players have been rested to manage their workload ahead of the mega tournament in February.
The three-match series will offer Australia a valuable opportunity to fine-tune combos, assess form, and give match time to a blend of experienced campaigners and rising stars before the World Cup.
Some notable omissions due to workload management
Several big players from Australia’s T20 World Cup squad will miss out on the Pakistan tour, either due to injury recovery or workload management. The key players who rested are
Pat Cummins (back injury, set to join later in the World Cup)
Josh Hazlewood (hamstring/Achilles concern)
Glenn Maxwell (rested post-BBL)
Tim David (minor hamstring issue)
Nathan Ellis (workload management)
Chair of Selectors George Bailey has stressed that this series against Pakistan is as much about building bench strength and assessing bench talent as it is about sharpening the World Cup squad’s match readiness.
“The series is a great opportunity for those on the brink of selection and some young players we rate highly for valuable experience with the World Cup group in Pakistan,” Bailey said (via cricbuzz.com).
A mix of experience and emerging talent picked against Pakistan
The Australian T20I side, led by Mitchell Marsh, features a mix of established internationals and players who have impressed in the ongoing Big Bash League (BBL). While several core members of Australia’s World Cup squad will travel to Pakistan, others will rest or manage workloads as part of Cricket Australia’s broader preparation strategy.
Uncapped fast bowlers Mahli Beardman and Jack Edwards have been named to the team.
Both players have impressed everyone with their fast bowling in the BBL this season. Playing for the Sydney Sixers, Edwards has picked 17 wickets this season, whereas Beardman has impressed with 11 wickets for the Perth Scorchers.
Here’s the squad:
Mitchell Marsh (c), Sean Abbott, Xavier Bartlett, Mahli Beardman, Cooper Connolly, Ben Dwarshuis, Jack Edwards, Cameron Green, Travis Head, Josh Inglis, Matthew Kuhnemann, Mitch Owen, Josh Phillippe, Matthew Renshaw, Matthew Short, Marcus Stoinis, and Adam Zampa.
The second and third T20I matches will be played at Lahore only on January 31 and February 1.
