2023 ODI World Cup winners Australia will face Pakistan in a three-match ODI series next month in front of home fans. The first ODI is scheduled to take place at Melbourne Cricket Ground on November 4, and the next two matches are in Adelaide and Perth on November 8 and 10, respectively. Star pacer Pat Cummins, who hasn’t played an ODI match since the World Cup final last year, will lead the six-time world champions, but star opening batter Travis Head and all-rounder Mitchell Marsh will miss the series due to paternity leaves.
In their absence, Delhi Capitals batter Jake Fraser-McGurk will open the innings along with Matthew Short. The 22-year-old right-handed batter Fraser-McGurk made his ODI debut against the West Indies in February 2024 and scored 51 runs in two matches.
He then made a big name for himself in the IPL 2024 for the Delhi Capitals but failed to maintain his show in the T20I series against Scotland and England last month. After being ignored for the ODI series against England, he has now got another chance to secure a place in the white-ball side.
Apart from Cummins, Josh Hazlewood and Mitchell Starc are also part of the ODI squad, along with star middle-order batters Steve Smith and Marnus Labuschagne, all-rounder Glenn Maxwell, spinner Adam Zampa, and wicketkeeper-batter Josh Inglis.
Fast bowling all-rounder Marcus Stoinis is also back in the side for Australia’s last ODI series before the ICC Champions Trophy in Pakistan next year. The LSG all-rounder had impressed with his performances in the T20 World Cup 2024 but missed out on a place in the ODI team for the series against England last month.
Young gun Cooper Connolly, who made his ODI and T20I debut last month, allrounder Aaron Hardie, and Sean Abbott are other members of the ODI squad for Pakistan series, but Test wicketkeeper Alex Carey was left out as he continues to prepare for the Border-Gavaskar Trophy in the Sheffield Shield competition.
Australian Chair of Selectors George Bailey said: “This is our last ODI series before the Champions Trophy and the balance of the squad was focussed on that as well as continuing to focus on preparation of individuals for the upcoming Test Summer.
“The one-day side had a great result in the UK particularly given illness and injury challenges. We view this is an opportunity to expand on that achievement in preparation for next February in Pakistan.”
Australia ODI squad: Pat Cummins (C), Sean Abbott, Cooper Connolly, Jake Fraser-McGurk, Aaron Hardie, Josh Hazlewood, Josh Inglis (WK), Marnus Labuschagne, Glenn Maxwell, Matthew Short, Steve Smith, Mitchell Starc, Marcus Stoinis, Adam Zampa
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