Australian skipper Pat Cummins bashed for attending Coldplay concert while team lost to Pakistan

Australia's Pat Cummins reacts after being dismissed during the one-day international cricket match between Australia and Pakistan at Adelaide Oval in Adelaide on November 8, 2024. (AFP)

• Cummins was rested for third ODI at Perth which Pakistan won after humiliating Australia by eight wickets
• Former Australian cricketer Michael Clarke criticizes selectors for resting Cummins, other stalwarts for India series

ISLAMABAD: Australian skipper Pat Cummins was criticized by his country’s former captain Michael Clarke and other media personalities this week for attending British rock band Coldplay’s concert the night Pakistan beat the world champions to complete a rare 2-1 ODI series win.
Australia rested stalwarts Cummins, Steven Smith, Mitchell Starc, Josh Hazlewood and Marnus Labuschagne in the third ODI against Pakistan in Perth on Sunday with the series level at 1-1. The Australian cricketers were given rest ahead of Australia’s Border-Gavaskar Test series against India which will start later this month. 
Pakistan won the one-sided match comfortably on Sunday, beating Australia by eight wickets to secure their first ODI series win in the country in 22 years. Cummins’ wife posted a picture of her husband enjoying a Coldplay concert with him on Sunday night, triggering criticism from ex-Australian football and rugby players Mat Rogers and Scott Sattler. 
“It was a decider, the one that matters and our captain went to a Coldplay concert,” Rogers said in a discussion with Sattler on Australia’s SEN radio network. “If you’re going to do it, just keep a low profile.”
Sattler criticized Cummins’ wife for posting a picture of the couple on social media, citing it as an invitation to “open yourself up to criticism when you’ve made yourself unavailable to represent your country.”
Former Australian cricket captain Michael Clarke said he was “confused” with the selectors’ decision to rest Cummins and the other cricketers with 11 days left till the first Test match against India.
“If Australia had won the first two games, then you can understand why they rest their big fish, but it was series on the line,” Clarke said on a radio show. “I understand resting for Test cricket, I love that, but it’s a one-day game. They are going to bowl more than that at training.”
 Another former Australian captain Tim Paine came to the selectors’ rescue, defending them for giving younger players a chance to prove themselves. 
“We’re blooding some youth and giving them experience while the big boys get ready for the Test series,” Paine said. 
Pakistan will play a three-match T20I series against Australia starting Thursday. The first match will be played in Brisbane, the second in Sydney on Saturday while the third will be contested between the teams on Monday in Hobart.