Coldplay over cricket? Pat Cummins caught at concert while Pakistan smashed Australia

Pat Cummins with wife Becky at Coldplay concert (Pic: AFP)

In a stunning turn of events, Pakistan, led by Mohammad Rizwan, defied expectations to claim victory in the ODI series against Australia. Despite a recent slump in form, the Pakistani side delivered a commanding performance, securing an impressive series win.

For Australia, the defeat marked a historic low - surrendering an ODI series to Pakistan at home for the first time in 22 years. The third and final ODI in Perth saw Pakistan cruise to an eight-wicket victory, capping off a memorable series win.

Adding insult to injury, Australia failed to register a single half-century throughout the series, setting an unwanted record as they became the first team in ODI history to be unable to score a half-century in a bilateral series.

Australia's defeat was compounded by the absence of several key players, as many of the team's top performers were granted rest ahead of the highly anticipated Border-Gavaskar Trophy, which is set to begin on November 22.

While Pakistan capitalized on the opportunity and delivered a clinical performance, Australia's squad appeared out of sync, failing to mount any serious challenge in the final match. At the same time, the Australian team's regular captain, Pat Cummins, who had been left out of the ODI series to rest, was enjoying a night off attending a Coldplay concert in Sydney.

Pat Cummins' absence from the ODI series quickly became a topic of controversy. His wife, Becky, shared a photo of the couple at the concert on her Instagram story, capturing the moment with the caption: "Excitement levels are high!" The sight of Australia's captain enjoying himself while his team was being hammered in Perth did not sit well with the Australian media, which was quick to criticize the decision to rest the key players.

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The Sydney Morning Herald published an article titled, 'Why Cummins Was at Coldplay While Australia Were Smashed', highlighting the stark contrast between the captain's leisure activities and the team's disappointing performance. Meanwhile, The Australian published an opinion piece that was equally pointed, calling it 'Cummins' concert jaunt a cold start to summer', underscoring the public's dissatisfaction with his absence.

Australia's former captain, Michael Clarke, expressed his frustration with the team management's decision to rest key players during the critical series against Pakistan.

Clarke took to Big Sports Breakfast, where he voiced concerns about the timing of the decision. He questioned why star players were prioritized for rest over the opportunity to win a historic series on home soil. "Why was the rest of the team given priority over what should have been a focus on securing the series win?" Clarke asked. His comments added fuel to the already simmering debate about whether the decision to rest key players ultimately cost Australia the series.

The incident has left a sour taste in the mouths of Australian cricket fans, as their team's failure to deliver against Pakistan at home has raised questions about both the team's preparation and the leadership decisions made in the lead-up to the Border-Gavaskar Trophy. While Pakistan can bask in the glory of their historic victory, Australia must now regroup, with the looming challenge of the upcoming Test series against India dominating the conversation.

(With agency inputs)