Australia Rests IPL Stars for Pakistan, Deploys Full Strength in Bangladesh

Cricket Australia has announced separate squads for the upcoming white-ball tours of Pakistan and Bangladesh, with a clear emphasis on workload management and blooding emerging talent.

Pace trio Pat Cummins, Mitchell Starc, and Josh Hazlewood have been rested from both tours as selectors prioritise their long-term fitness ahead of a packed international calendar. Their absence opens the door for fresh faces to prove themselves on challenging subcontinental pitches.

Young Guns Lead the Pakistan Charge

Mitchell Marsh will captain an experimental side for the three-match ODI series in Pakistan beginning May 30. The squad features maiden call-ups for South Australian all-rounder Liam Scott and Victorian batsman Oliver Peake, while Billy Stanlake and Riley Meredith return to offer genuine pace. The Pakistan leg overlaps with the IPL playoffs, meaning white-ball specialists still in contention for the title have been left out.

IPL Stars Bolster Bangladesh Campaign

The cavalry returns for the Bangladesh tour in June. Travis Head rejoins as opener alongside Punjab Kings trio Cooper Connolly, Xavier Bartlett, and Ben Dwarshuis, all fresh from their IPL campaigns. Spin specialists Matthew Kuhnemann and Tanveer Sangha feature in both ODI squads, underlining their importance on slow, turning surfaces.

The tour concludes with three T20Is in Chattogram, where Aaron Hardie, Spencer Johnson, and debutant Joel Davies add firepower. Josh Philippe also returns, providing top-order flexibility and wicket-keeping cover as Australia looks ahead to the next cycle of global T20 tournaments.