Kamal Ghorui
Cricket Australia has confirmed that its players will be allowed to complete their Indian Premier League commitments before joining the national squad for the upcoming ODI series against Pakistan.According to Curicbuzz, Australian players currently involved in the IPL “will still be in the IPL and will complete their commitments,” despite the bilateral ODI series overlapping with the final stages of the tournament.The clarification comes after Cricket Australia and the Pakistan Cricket Board jointly announced a three-match ODI series scheduled for May 30, June 2 and June 4 in Pakistan. Australian players are expected to arrive in Islamabad on May 23, which coincides with the IPL playoffs period. The IPL 2026 final is scheduled for May 31. Several leading Australian cricketers are currently participating in the IPL, including captain Pat Cummins and stand-in ODI skipper Mitchell Marsh. Other Australians featuring in the tournament include Travis Head, Tim David, Josh Hazlewood, Xavier Bartlett, Cooper Connolly, Marcus Stoinis, Josh Inglis, Cameron Green, Mitchell Starc and Matthew Short.
While the IPL league stage ends on May 24, several Australian players could remain in India longer if their franchises qualify for the playoffs. Teams such as Sunrisers Hyderabad, Punjab Kings and Royal Challengers Bengaluru are currently among the leading contenders for the knockout stages. Officials from both franchises confirmed to Cricbuzz that their overseas players, including the Australians, will fulfil their IPL contracts and will not leave midway through the season.Cricket Australia is yet to announce its squad for the Pakistan ODIs, and there remains a possibility that selections could be adjusted to avoid clashes with IPL playoff commitments. The upcoming ODI series will mark Australia’s first bilateral ODI tour of Pakistan since 2022. Earlier this year, Australia toured Pakistan for a T20I series in January-February, with the hosts winning the three-match contest 3-0 in Lahore.
