NEWS
Follow UsCricket Australia has revealed their 15 for the upcoming T20 World Cup, which is scheduled to be held within a month's time in the United States of America and the West Indies. Mitch Marsh has been chosen as the skipper of the side that last won a T20 World Cup just three years ago, in 2021.
“It’s been an immense privilege to play for my country and now an even greater honour to lead the squad to a World Cup,” Marsh said after being selected as the T20I captain.
“We have had some strong success in recent times, and I am hopeful that we will continue in what looks like a wide-open tournament,” Marsh added.
Steven Smith and Jake Fraser-McGurk are among the squad's most notable omissions. After Smith had participated in the Big Bash League, it was speculated that the veteran batter might have created some space for himself in the final 15, but he ultimately fell out of favour with the selectors.
Meanwhile, in the case of Fraser-McGurk, the restriction of a squad of 15 and the fact that he’s still developing as a batter made the George Bailey-led selection committee keep him out of the side. Bailey added that Fraser-McGurk “continued to impress and is developing rapidly.”
Bailey also listed Matt Short, Jason Behrendorff, Aaron Hardie, Spencer Johnson, and Xavier Bartlett as “unfortunate omissions.”
"Being constrained to a squad of 15 for World Cups is always a challenge given the different scenarios and options we'd like to cover," Bailey said, highlighting the complexity of his job.
The most notable additions to the side are Ashton Agar and Cameron Green, who haven’t been regulars for Australia in the T20I format.
Agar’s selection can be explained by the fact that the conditions in the Caribbean might favour spin as back-to-back matches will be played on the same ground, and pitches in those island nations are generally sluggish and help the spinners. He makes a well-rounded spin attack along with Adam Zampa and Glenn Maxwell.
Green’s selection has come on the back of both Marcus Stoinis and Mitch Marsh, who are injury-prone, and the flexibility provided by Green in the batting order.
Nathan Ellis is the fourth seamer on the side, along with Pat Cummins, Josh Hazelwood and Mitch Starc.
Australia are in Group B of the World Cup and will begin their campaign against Oman on June 6.
Squad - Mitch Marsh (c), Ashton Agar, Pat Cummins, Tim David, Nathan Ellis, Cameron Green, Josh Hazlewood, Travis Head, Josh Inglis (wk), Glenn Maxwell, Mitchell Starc, Marcus Stoinis, Matthew Wade (wk), David Warner, Adam Zampa.
~
