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Australia T20 squad for Pakistan tour delayed, chief selector pushes back announcement

Sakshi Sharma

Pakistan vs Australia (Source:@CricCrazyJohns,x.com)Pakistan vs Australia (Source:@CricCrazyJohns,x.com)

Cricket Australia on Thursday announced a strong 15-member squad for the upcoming ICC T20 World Cup 2026, but delayed the announcement of the team for the T20I series against Pakistan. 

Chief selector George Bailey said the Pakistan tour squad would be named later. The reason for the delay could be that the final assessments of players' fitness and logistics are not yet completed.

Australia, led by Mitchell Marsh, is scheduled to tour Pakistan for a white-ball series in January. The tour will take place in two phases, with the first phase consisting of a three-match T20I series. 

Although the Pakistan Cricket Board (PCB) is yet to officially confirm venues and dates, reports suggest all three matches are likely to be held in Lahore.

Australia's T20 squad for Pakistan tour delayed

It can be said that the selectors wanted to focus first on the World Cup squad, given the importance of the global tournament.

"The T20 side has enjoyed a long run of recent success which enabled the panel to choose a balance of players across the variety of conditions Sri Lanka and India may present," said selection chair George Bailey. 

"Pat Cummins, Josh Hazlewood and Tim David are tracking well and we are confident they will be available for the World Cup. This is a preliminary squad so should changes need to be made they will ahead of the support period.

"A squad for the three game T20 Series against Pakistan which precedes the World Cup will be named at a later date."

Injured Aussie players feature in the T20 WC squad

Australia's T20 World Cup squad includes Pat Cummins, Josh Hazlewood, and Tim David, despite all three players recently dealing with injuries. The selection chair, George Bailey, expressed confidence in their recovery, saying the medical staff is satisfied with their progress.

However, some notable names missed out. Hard-hitting batter Mitchell Owen was left out, while fast bowler Ben Dwarshuis also failed to make the cut. The biggest surprise was the inclusion of spin-bowling allrounder Cooper Connolly.

Australia takes extra measure for tour of Pakistan

Earlier, Australia had sent a delegation to Pakistan to assess security arrangements ahead of the January tour. The officials arrived in Lahore and inspected the Gaddafi Stadium and the Lahore City Cricket Association (LCCA) ground. 

They also reviewed hotel arrangements and met PCB officials to ensure player safety.

The security visit comes in light of past concerns. In November 2025, a bomb blast in Islamabad resulted in multiple casualties, raising alarm across the cricketing world. 

Although international teams have continued to tour Pakistan since then, Australia is taking extra precautions before finalising its plans.

With the T20 World Cup squad now announced and security reviews underway, Australia is expected to confirm the Pakistan T20I squad once all clearances are in place. The upcoming series will be an important preparation step as Australia builds toward the ICC T20 World Cup 2026.