Steve Smith, the veteran, and young exciting prospect Jake Fraser-McGurk were left out of the Mitchell Marsh-led Australia squad that was announced for the T20 World Cup 2024 on May 1.
Marsh had already led Australia in three T20I series as interim skipper over the past 12 months.
“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. We have had some strong success in recent times and I am hopeful that will continue in what looks like a wide-open tournament,” said Marsh to cricket.com.au.
Smith has been a steady presence in Australia’s previous five white-ball World Cups, helping them win in 2015, 2023 (ODI), and 2021 (T20). The 34-year-old, who competed in the last T20 showpiece tournament staged in the Caribbean in 2010, has not missed an Australian World Cup selection since 2014.
However, he has gradually fallen out of favour in the shortest format in recent years, appearing in only one game at the 2022 T20 World Cup, as Australia has prioritized big-hitting middle-order batsmen such as Glenn Maxwell, Marcus Stoinis, and Tim David.
Fraser-McGurk’s absence is expected to make a stir in Australia following his remarkable achievements in the IPL, where he has three half-centuries in six innings at a stratospheric strike rate of 233.33 despite having yet to play a T20I and only two ODI outings.
David Warner, Travis Head to open; Ashton Agar and Adam Zampa to head spin department
The selectors chose to trust their seasoned trio of Travis Head, David Warner, and Marsh, who were dominant in last year’s ODI World Cup. They had also long resolved on the middle order, with Glenn Maxwell, Marcus Stoinis, Tim David, and Wade expected to make the first-choice XI.
Cameron Green is the fast all-rounder, and Matthew Wade and Josh Inglis are the wicketkeepers. Ashton Agar and Adam Zampa will be part of the spin department, with help from Head and Maxwell.
Nathan Ellis, a death specialist, beat out Johnson, Behrendorff, and Sean Abbott to become the final speed option behind the big three of Mitchell Starc, Pat Cummins, and Josh Hazlewood.
Australia T20 World Cup 2024 squad: Mitchell Marsh (capt), 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
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More info: https://t.co/Xp4MyWl9vG pic.twitter.com/bF4POwDDQn
— cricket.com.au (@cricketcomau) May 1, 2024
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