Two months out from the World Cup, Australia have rested Pat Cummins for the remaining two ODIs of the ongoing series against Pakistan in UAE.
Cummins sat out the opening two matches of the series and played only in the third match on Wednesday, where he returned figures of 3 for 23 in Australia’s 80-run victory. With an unassailable 3-0 series lead, and a World Cup and Ashes double ahead, Australia have decided to fly the star pacer back home for ample rest.
Also returning from UAE is fellow pacer Jhye Richardson who injured his shoulder in Sharjah earlier on tour.
Consequently, Australia will have only three frontline pacers for the remainder of the series in Nathan Coulter-Nile, Jason Behrendorff and Kane Richardson. The trio will now have a chance to impress the Australian selectors before the national squad for the World Cup is announced next month. Meanwhile, Mitchell Starc and Josh Hazlewood, who missed the series due to their injuries, are both expected to make it to the World Cup squad.
The fourth and the fifth ODI will be played in Dubai on March 29 and 31 respectively.
