Pakistan and Australia will be engaging in a five-match ODI series in the United Arab Emirates from March 22-31, 2019. This ODI series will also witness the returns of David Warner and Steve Smith as their bans are scheduled to end during the one-day international series.

Former Australia captain Steve Smith and his then deputy David Warner, along with Cameron Bancroft were found guilty of ball-tampering and were handed bans of various degrees by Cricket Australia after it conducted an internal inquiry into the incident.

The bans on Smith and Warner are scheduled to end on March 29. 2019  and they can be called up for the fourth ODI against Pakistan.

Cameron Bancroft was caught on camera using sandpaper to change the condition of the ball during the Cape Town Test between Australia and South Africa. The inquiry revealed that it was David Warner who instigated Bancroft to do the deed and Steve Smith, as captain of the team, didn’t do anything to stop it.

Bancroft was handed a nine-month ban, while Warner and Smith were handed one-year bans each, including stripping them of captaincy. Both Warner and Smith were banned from that year’s IPL and recent BBL. Cameron Bancroft completed his ban in December 2018 and featured in the Big Bash League 2018-19.

The duo continued playing club cricket in Australia and in various other T20 Leagues like the Canada T20 league and recently featured in Bangladesh Premier League. However, both the players suffered elbow injuries and are currently recuperating.

It remains to be seen whether the duo becomes fit in time for a return against Pakistan in the ODI series and for the following IPL 2019.