Rawalpindi: Australia’s batting all-rounder Matthew Short on Monday insisted that the touring team is ready and prepared for the spin challenge in the three-match ODI series against Pakistan from May 30 to June 4.
Australia’s upcoming ODI series against Pakistan marks their second tour to the country this year as they played three T20Is to set up the 2026 ICC Men’s T20 World Cup in January-February with a 3-0 whitewash.
Pakistan’s spinners in particular dominated the T20I series as Mohammad Nawaz, Abrar Ahmed, Shatab Khan and Saim Ayub made up the top five leading wicket-takers with 20 runs in three matches.
Short, meanwhile, has scored 34 runs at a paltry average of just 11.33 in the series and has been bowled by a spinner in each of the three matches, acknowledging Australia’s struggles in spin-friendly conditions in Pakistan and Sri Lanka at the mega-event during that period.
However, the right-handed batsman insisted that he is ready for the challenge if Australia face a similar situation again in the upcoming ODI series.
“Looking back at the last T20 series we had here before the World Cup, I think they were preparing for the World Cup, what we saw in Sri Lanka, we had some tough situations, so I’m not 100 per cent sure what they’re going to prepare for us here,” he told reporters at the training camp at the Rawalpindi Cricket Ground today.
“But if anything like that happens, we are ready. It was a disappointing three games for us before the World Cup. But if we have to face those conditions again, we are ready for them, we are definitely preparing for them,” he added.
The upcoming ODI series between Pakistan and Australia will be their first since the Green Shirts inflicted a historic 2-1 defeat on the Baggy Greens in November 2024.
Short, who was included in Australia’s squad for the series, acknowledged Pakistan’s recent dominance over the former champions in white-ball cricket but expressed his determination to avenge their earlier deficits, saying they were “definitely in the hunt”.
“Yes, definitely. Anytime you play against the opposition, you want to win. Pakistan have beaten us in the last two series, so we are definitely in the hunt for a win and a series win,” asserted Short.
“I know there’s a lot of talk about a lot of Test crews coming in for Australia, but we want to make sure we win this white-ball series here and there.”