Former captain Steve Smith and David Warner have been omitted from Australia’s one-day squad for the series against Pakistan in the United Arab Emirates as they serve out the final weeks of their ball-tampering bans and recover from elbow injuries.
Their omission from the 15-man squad, which is unchanged from the one currently touring India, means they will need to find form in the Indian Premier League ahead of the World Cup in England starting in late May.
“It has been agreed Steve Smith and David Warner will not be available for selection for the final two matches of the series against Pakistan,” head selector Trevor Hohns said in a media release on Friday.
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“While their bans will be finished on March 28, Steve and David have been working through rehabilitation from elbow surgery and it has been agreed the best pathway for them to return to play is in the Indian Premier League.”
The first of the five ODIs is on March 22 in Sharjah. Smith and Warner would have been eligible to play the final two matches of the series in Dubai on March 29 and March 31.
{{/usCountry}}The first of the five ODIs is on March 22 in Sharjah. Smith and Warner would have been eligible to play the final two matches of the series in Dubai on March 29 and March 31.
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