Craig McDermott is adamant Ireland will be capable of challenging his former pupils when they meet in the opening round of the World Twenty20 in Sri Lanka

ESPNcricinfo's preview of the third Twenty20 between Pakistan and Australia in Dubai

Pakistan claimed the series against Australia, but did so in circumstances as far removed from the hiding dealt out in the first match as could be imagined

Australia's captain George Bailey is adamant his side can still win the World Twenty20 tournament in Sri Lanka despite a shattering first-up loss to Pakistan in the series in Dubai

Mitchell Starc and Glenn Maxwell have set an example that Australia's captain Michael Clarke wants to see followed by others as the home summer draws closer

ESPNcricinfo's preview of the first T20I between Pakistan and Australia in Dubai

A little calmer when it mattered most, Australia completed a victory more testing than the scoreboard ultimately showed to defeat Pakistan in Sharjah and claim the overnight ODI series 2-1

A malfunctioning top order and an injury to Mitchell Starc are Australia's major worries after a hefty defeat to Pakistan in the second ODI in Abu Dhabi

ESPNcricinfo's preview to the second ODI between Pakistan and Australia in Abu Dhabi

Australia were grateful for the 29 balls given up by Pakistan as the latter half of their innings collapsed, using them to secure a meritorious victory in the first ODI in the heat of Sharjah

Michael Hussey is happy to entertain the prospect of abandoning that role to open the batting should the dual duties of batting up top and keeping wicket be deemed too taxing for Matthew Wade

Matthew Wade's place in the Australian batting order against Pakistan may hinge on the outcome of the coin toss as concerns mount over his workload in the Sharjah heat

Frustrated as much by a slippery ball as a doughty Afghanistan during their 66-run victory, Australia's bowlers must find ways of keeping dry in the damp night-time air before they face Pakistan

David Warner happily admits he struggled at times against the bevy of Australian spinners lined up on turning Darwin pitches in order to prepare him for the trip to the UAE

Australia's captain Michael Clarke is expected to promote himself to the pivotal No. 3 spot in the ODI batting order for the matches against Afghanistan and Pakistan in the UAE

Kevin Pietersen's fractured relationship with the England team will take years rather than weeks to repair if it can be mended at all, Australia's coach Mickey Arthur has said

Michael Clarke has delivered a stern reminder that the Australian team's culture must improve in order to rise above what he called an "unacceptable" present

Australian cricket's custodians have voted themselves out of their own jobs, formally approving the introduction of a smaller, nine-person Cricket Australia board

Wally Edwards, the Cricket Australia chairman, will be seeking a unanimous vote in favour of governance change when the game's Australian custodians sit down in Melbourne on Friday to continue the march towards independent board directors

Cameron White's return to the Australian team can be likened to that of the ageless Brad Hogg - a nod to experience over youth and to suitability for a very specific task, the wresting of the World Twenty20 title in Sri Lanka in September