Australia face multiple setbacks ahead of their upcoming T20I series against Pakistan as Pat Cummins and Josh Hazlewood both are set to miss the tour as they continue to recover from recent injuries.
Cummins, Australia’s all-format spearhead, has been carefully managed since returning from a stress fracture in his back, which sidelined him before the Ashes.
Although he made a successful comeback during the series, team management is wary of overloading him ahead of a packed calendar that includes the 2026 T20 World Cup. Resting him from the Pakistan trip is seen as a precaution to protect his long-term fitness rather than a short-term gamble.
Hazlewood’s situation is even more delicate. The right-armer was ruled out of the Ashes after a hamstring injury was aggravated by Achilles soreness, ending his involvement before it began.
While his rehab has kept him on course for a return ahead of the global T20 showpiece, medical staff have advised against rushing him back for the Pakistan series, prompting selectors to hold him back as well.
Their absence means Australia will be without two of their most experienced quicks for the three-match T20I leg, forcing the visitors to lean on their bench strength and fringe pacers in subcontinental conditions.
The Pakistan Cricket Board (PCB) has already confirmed that Australia’s tour will comprise three T20 internationals only, with no plans to expand the series.
For Australia, those matches will now double as an audition for back-up fast bowlers, but the loss of Cummins and Hazlewood at this stage of their World Cup build-up is a major blow to both their firepower and experience.
