Australia are set to be without some of their most experienced fast bowlers for the upcoming T20I series against Pakistan, with key pacers ruled out due to ongoing injury management.
Senior quick Pat Cummins and fellow fast bowler Josh Hazlewood will both miss the three-match Twenty20 International series as they continue their recovery from injury, Cricket Australia’s selection chair George Bailey confirmed.
Cummins, Australia’s captain and leading pace spearhead, has been carefully managed since returning from a stress fracture in his back that sidelined him earlier in the year. Although he has taken steps toward a comeback, selectors have decided not to risk his participation in the Pakistan series to protect his long-term fitness and workload ahead of a packed international calendar.
Hazlewood, another key member of Australia’s pace attack, is also still rehabilitating from an Achilles and hamstring issue that kept him out of earlier matches. Medical staff have advised against rushing him back for the Pakistan tour, meaning he too will be absent.
Both Cummins and Hazlewood were included in Australia’s preliminary squad for the ICC Men’s T20 World Cup 2026, but their exclusion from the Pakistan T20Is highlights Cricket Australia’s cautious approach as they prioritise their availability for the World Cup later this season.
Selectors have expressed hope that the duo will be fit in time for the global event, with Cummins possibly joining the team during the tournament after a delay and Hazlewood expected to be available from the start.
The absence of Cummins and Hazlewood opens opportunities for other quick bowlers in the Australian attack, and may influence the team’s strategy during the series. Australia will look to maintain a competitive pace battery despite missing two of its most experienced T20 options.
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