Aussies lock in return to scene of disaster series; Cricket Australia moving to lock up Pat Cummins on $12m deal
Australia's men's cricket side has locked in its next white-ball tour with a visit to Pakistan scheduled for May and June.
The Aussies only recently played in Pakistan in January and February as a warm-up for the T20 World Cup. That series was disastrous preparation, ending in a 3-0 loss.
This tour of Pakistan will be followed by a return to Bangladesh for an ODI and T20 series.
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Sean Abbott after taking a wicket in the last series in Pakistan. Getty
Australia's last tour of Bangladesh was in 2021 and was a 4-1 T20 series loss leading in to a T20 World Cup that Australia won.
The three ODIs in Pakistan start on May 30 and end June 4. The ODI series against Bangladesh starts June 9, with other matches played June 11 and June 14.
The T20 series will follow on June 17 and wrap up by June 21.
News around this looming series comes after The Age revealed Pat Cummins has been offered a massive $4 million contract by Cricket Australia.
Cummins was unsurprisingly named in CA's contract list ahead of a 12-month period where he could play 21 Tests. The fast bowler has only just returned from a back injury that resulted in him only playing one Test in The Ashes.
Andrew McDonald and Pat Cummins. Getty
The report states that Cummins has been offered a three-year deal which could be worth $12 million. By 2029, Cummins will be 36.
Travis Head could also earn a similar amount, while Marnus Labuschagne has also been offered a three-year contract.
Over the next 12 months Australia will play Tests against Bangladesh, New Zealand and England at home. There will also be away Tests against South Africa, India and England.
CA's head of cricket James Allsopp told The Age players like Cummins, Head and Labuschagne had earned the right for more pay and security.
"They've been long-term performers for Australia across formats for a long period of time," he said.
"There's only so far you can take them under the current constraints. That's definitely a priority at the moment.
"It is a really tricky balancing act. One thing we do know is that the market pressure is coming at the players who drive the most commercial value. Your multi-format players like Pat, Josh (Hazlewood) and Trav, there's a lot of demand for those players. So ensuring they remain committed to Australian cricket is a really big priority."
A squad has not yet been named for the ODI and T20 series' in Pakistan and Bangladesh.
Adam Zampa celebrates a wicket for Australia. Getty
Men's ODI Series v Pakistan
Saturday, May 30: Rawalpindi Cricket Stadium
Tuesday, June 2: Gaddafi Stadium, Lahore
Thursday, June 4: Gaddafi Stadium, Lahore
Men's ODI Series v Bangladesh
Tuesday, June 9: Sher-e-Bangla National Stadium, Mirpur
Thursday, June 11: Sher-e-Bangla National Stadium, Mirpur
Sunday, June 14: Sher-e-Bangla National Stadium, Mirpur
Men's T20I Series v Bangladesh
Wednesday, June 17: Bir Sreshtho Flight Lieutenant Matiur Rahman Stadium, Chattogram
Friday, June 19: Bir Sreshtho Flight Lieutenant Matiur Rahman Stadium, Chattogram
Sunday, June 21: Bir Sreshtho Flight Lieutenant Matiur Rahman Stadium, Chattogram
