--- title: "Australia quicks squeezed by IPL clash" description: "Cummins, Starc and Hazlewood are unlikely for Pakistan ODIs, giving Australia’s depth bowlers a live chance." url: https://sportopod.com/en-US/cluster/cummins-starc-hazlewood-unlikely-for-pakistan-odis-as-date-mov434c2 published: 2026-05-16T03:57:43.157296+00:00 updated: 2026-05-16T14:03:16.481087+00:00 author: "Kostadin Stamboliev" publisher: "Pineido" site: "Sportopod" language: en topics: ["cricket"] --- # Australia quicks squeezed by IPL clash > Cummins, Starc and Hazlewood are unlikely for Pakistan ODIs, giving Australia’s depth bowlers a live chance. Australia’s Pakistan ODI plans are under pressure, with Pat Cummins, Mitchell Starc and Josh Hazlewood all unlikely to feature because the IPL playoffs run into the same window as the three-match series. The squeeze lands hard and fast. Australia start the series on May 30 in Rawalpindi, then move to Lahore for matches on June 2 and June 4. That leaves selectors juggling franchise commitments, fast-bowling workload and a short international turnaround. Cummins, Starc and Hazlewood remain Australia’s headline pace trio, but this clash could push the next layer of quicks into meaningful roles. Pakistan away is no soft audition, especially with three ODIs packed into six days. The timing makes the selection call sharper. This is not a long tour where Australia can spread minutes, hide a workload concern or slowly build combinations. Three matches in six days asks for clear roles immediately, especially from bowlers stepping into places usually held by the first-choice attack. It also gives the series a different edge. Without the established trio, Australia would learn more about how their reserve pace options handle responsibility away from home, not just how they look around the squad. Pakistan conditions and a compressed schedule should expose who can adapt quickly. The calendar pressure matters as much as the names missing. A short ODI series already leaves little margin for rotation, and the IPL playoff overlap narrows the choice further. Australia can still build a competitive attack, but the shape of it may be dictated by availability before balance. For the bowlers outside the first-choice trio, this is the kind of chance that carries weight. Selection debates often live in projections and squad talk. In Pakistan, over three ODIs in six days, performance would give selectors something firmer to judge. The implications are clear: Australia’s pace-bowling depth may get tested in real match conditions, while the IPL’s pull on availability again shapes the international calendar rather than sitting neatly beside it. What's next: Australia’s selectors must settle a Pakistan ODI squad around the IPL playoff overlap and decide which depth bowlers can carry the load. ## Why this matters This matters because Australia’s pace hierarchy could shift from theory to evidence in Pakistan. If Cummins, Starc and Hazlewood sit out, the series becomes a genuine selection squeeze, not a rest note buried in a schedule. Depth bowlers would get a chance to prove they can handle an away ODI assignment with little room for easing in. It also shows the wider force at work: the IPL calendar now affects international planning at the top end of the game, including for a side with Australia’s resources. ## Frequently asked ### Why are Pat Cummins, Mitchell Starc and Josh Hazlewood unlikely to play? They are unlikely to feature because Australia’s ODI series in Pakistan overlaps with the IPL playoffs. Selectors also have to weigh franchise commitments, fast-bowling workload and the short turnaround into the international matches. ### When does Australia’s Pakistan ODI series start? The three-match ODI series starts on May 30 in Rawalpindi. The next two games are scheduled for Lahore on June 2 and June 4, creating a tight window during the same period as the IPL playoff run. ### What does this mean for Australia’s bowling depth? It opens the door for Australia’s depth quicks to get a serious audition. With the established trio unlikely, selectors may have to lean on the next group in conditions that carry real consequence rather than treating the series as a low-pressure experiment. ## Sources & Citations - [Cummins, Starc, Hazlewood unlikely for Pakistan ODIs as dates overlap with IPL](https://www.espncricinfo.com/ci/content/story/1535628.html?ex_cid=OTC-RSS) — ESPN Cricinfo (2026-05-07) --- Cite: Australia quicks squeezed by IPL clash. Sportopod, 2026-05-16. https://sportopod.com/en-US/cluster/cummins-starc-hazlewood-unlikely-for-pakistan-odis-as-date-mov434c2