The 2021 T20 World Cup champions announced their squad for the upcoming marquee short-format tournament in the West Indies and the USA, commencing from June 1 onwards. Notable omissions from the squad include veteran batter Steve Smith, promising young batting sensation Jake Fraser-McGurk, experienced seamer Jason Behrendorff, and all-rounder Matt Short.
Left-arm spinner Ashton Agar earned a recall despite his absence from T20Is since the last T20 World Cup in Australia in 2022. Additionally, all-rounders Marcus Stoinis and Cameron Green secured places in the final squad, despite displaying inconsistent form in the ongoing Indian Premier League (IPL), according to the ICC.
The team will be led by all-rounder Mitchell Marsh. Selection chair George Bailey expressed confidence in the squad’s balance and expects a strong performance in the ninth edition of the T20 World Cup.
Bailey emphasized the squad’s depth of experience and versatility, particularly in adapting to the unique conditions and challenges presented in the West Indies. He welcomed Agar’s return to the squad and highlighted the pivotal roles expected from various players, including Stoinis, Glenn Maxwell, Cam Green, and Marsh.
Acknowledging the tough decisions in squad selection, Bailey noted the unfortunate exclusions of several in-form players like Smith, Short, Behrendorff, and others. He highlighted the ongoing development of players like Fraser-McGurk, who narrowly missed selection despite impressive performances.
Given the squad size constraint of 15 players, Bailey assured continued monitoring of players who missed out, with the possibility of changes in accordance with ICC regulations.
Australia will commence their T20 World Cup campaign against Oman in Barbados on June 5, followed by Group B fixtures against England, Namibia, and Scotland.
The Australia squad comprises Ashton Agar, Pat Cummins, Tim David, Nathan Ellis, Cameron Green, Josh Hazlewood, Travis Head, Mitchell Marsh, Josh Inglis, Glenn Maxwell, Mitchell Starc, Marcus Stoinis, Matthew Wade, David Warner, and Adam Zampa.
