Cricket Australia is hoping a looming public holiday and a game featuring Pakistan can help lure spectators to the MCG for the start of the international summer.
Three ODIs followed by three T20s is a low-key way to begin what is a highly anticipated international season as India prepares to play five Tests in Australia for the first time since 1991-92, before the Women’s Ashes start in January.
The women’s team will also play three ODIs each against India and New Zealand in December.
The men’s team, led by Pat Cummins in his first ODI since last year’s World Cup final, is hosting Pakistan this afternoon from 2:30pm AEDT, a day before the Melbourne Cup public holiday.
But the Monday before the “race that stops the nation” is treated by some Melburnians as an unofficial public holiday.
Just four ODIs have previously been played at the MCG in November, with an average attendance for those matches just 16,096.
In November 2022, Australia faced England in front of 10,406 — the lowest crowd for an ODI at the MCG involving the hosts.
The Victorian public will be able to watch homegrown players Matt Short, Jake Fraser-McGurk and Glenn Maxwell go about their business.
Cummins on Sunday confirmed Short and Fraser-McGurk will open the batting, with Maxwell to float in the middle order.
Short and Fraser-McGurk are vying to lock down a spot as World Cup hero Travis Head’s opening partner ahead of next year’s Champions Trophy in Pakistan.
Head and Mitch Marsh are both on paternity leave and unavailable for this series.
Follow the game live from 2:30pm AEDT in our ScoreCentre below and check out all the stats.
