Depleted Australia set to tour Pakistan without big guns

Fast bowling trio Pat Cummins, Mitchell Starc and Josh Hazelwood are among the heavy-hitters that will likely miss the three-match series due to their commitments in the ongoing Indian Premier League.

The first ODI is hosted in Rawalpindi on 30 May, while Lahore hosts the final two matches on 2 and 4 June. It is the second ppart of the white-ball tour that began with three T20Is back in January.

Meanwhile, the IPL playoffs start on 26 May and culminate with the final on 31 May. Cricket Australia revealed that the ODI squad will arrive in Pakistan on 23 May for preparation.

Cummins and Travis Head look set to feature in the playoffs with the table-topping Sunrisers Hyderabad, while Hazlewood's Royal Challengers Bengaluru are in third.

After the Pakistan series, the squad will travel straight to Bangladesh for three ODIs and three T20Is starting 9 June. With Australia's bumper Test cycle that includes no less than 20 matches set to begin in August, it's unlikely selectors will risk their trio of fast bowlers for either tour.

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