Pat Cummins with wife Becky; (right) Shaheen Afridi celebrates.© Instagram/AFP
Pakistan sprang a major surprise in the ODI series against Australia as the Mohammad Rizwan-led side won the contest. Pakistan have not been in great from of late but against Australia, they stepped up. The Australian team not only surrendered an ODI series to Pakistan at home for the first time in 22 years after an eight-wicket loss to the Asian side in third ODI at Perth, but also registered an unfortunate record of not registering any half-century by a batter throughout a bilateral series for the first time ever.
Many top players of Australia were not part of the series as they were given a break ahead of the Border Gavaskar Trophy starting on November 22. While Australia were getting hammered in Perth, Australia’s regular captain Pat Cummins, who was not picked for the Pakistan ODI series was attending a Coldplay concert in Sydney.
Pat Cummins’ wife Becky shared the duo photo on her Instagram story with the caption: “Excitement levels are high!”
Australia media was not too kind. Sydney Morning Herald wrote a piece titled “Why Cummins was at Coldplay while Australia were smashed” while The Australian’s opinion piece on the incident was titled: “Cummins’ concert jaunt a cold start to summer.”
Australia’s former captain Michael Clarke expressed strong concerns over the decision by team management to rest key players in the third and final ODI against Pakistan, a move that contributed to Pakistan’s historic ODI series win over Australia on their home soil for the first time in 22 years.
Clarke voiced his frustrations on Big Sports Breakfast, questioning why the team prioritised rest for star players over a chance to secure the series win.
“I’m just a bit confused. With 11 days between now and the first Test, why can’t the Aussie boys who are part of this Test series play in the one-dayer?” Clarke said, addressing the choice to keep major players like Pat Cummins, Steve Smith, Marnus Labuschagne, Mitchell Starc, and Josh Hazlewood off the field.
With IANS and ANI inputs
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