Rawalpindi, May 29, 2026: Australia’s stand-in captain Josh Inglis has dismissed concerns that Pakistan may hold a major advantage in the upcoming three-match ODI series despite the absence of Australia’s frontline fast bowlers, including regular captain Pat Cummins, Josh Hazlewood and Mitchell Starc.
The opening ODI between Pakistan and Australia will be played on Saturday at the Rawalpindi Cricket Stadium, while the remaining two matches are scheduled to take place at Gaddafi Stadium on June 2 and June 4.
Speaking during the pre-series press conference, Inglis expressed confidence in Australia’s bowling resources and praised the depth within the touring squad.
“I’m not going to say whether Pakistan have an edge or not, but we’ve got a lot of talent in our squad. Billy Stanlake has returned after a long time and bowls with serious pace, while Riley Meredith is also really exciting,” Inglis said.
“Nathan Ellis is very experienced in white-ball cricket now, so we have plenty of quality in the group and I’m excited to see what they can do throughout the series,” he added.
Australia are touring Pakistan for a three-match ODI series, marking their first 50-over bilateral tour to the country since March-April 2022, when Pakistan secured a memorable 2-1 series victory on home soil.
Reflecting on previous encounters with Pakistan, the Australian wicketkeeper-batter acknowledged the strength of the home side and emphasized the importance of maintaining high standards throughout the series.
“In terms of previous series against Pakistan, they are a seriously good cricket team and definitely not to be taken lightly. We never do that,” Inglis stated.
“We have to be at the top of our game against you guys and play really good cricket, so it is an exciting series ahead,” he added.
