Australia is banking on left-handed spin as the secret to success when it bids to win its second T20 World Cup in a tournament being hosted in Sri Lanka and India next month.
A 15-man preliminary squad to be captained by Mitch Marsh will feature Matt Kuhnemann and Cooper Connolly, along with Adam Zampa, with the Aussies also banking on the fitness of a number of stars currently under an injury cloud.
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The Aussies are also banking on the ability of Josh Inglis to remain fit throughout a campaign that could feature up to nine matches over a month long period, with the Western Australian the sole wicketkeeper in the squad.
Alex Carey and Josh Philippe, subsequently, were overlooked.
Australia’s red ball skipper Pat Cummins, Connolly and all-rounder Cameron Green return to the squad from the side that featured in the T20 series against India in October and November preceding the Ashes.
It is a squad featuring several players who fall into the all-rounder category, including Victorian veteran Glenn Maxwell and his state teammate Matt Short. Powerful veteran Marcus Stoinis has done enough to ensure his selection for the tournament.
Cricket Australia chairman of selectors George Bailey said consideration had been given to those who featured in a sustained run of form following a disappointing T20 World Cup appearance in the Caribbean two years ago.
“The T20 side has enjoyed a long run of recent success which enabled the panel to choose a balance of players across the variety of conditions Sri Lanka and India may present,” he said.
“Pat Cummins, Josh Hazlewood and Tim David are tracking well and we are confident they will be available for the World Cup. This is a preliminary squad so should changes need to be made they will ahead of the support period.”
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In an update issued on Monday by CA, it said that David’s rehabilitation program from a hamstring strain had him tracking to be available for the tournament.
Hazlewood, who missed the entirety of the Ashes series after suffering Achilles soreness following a significant hamstring injury, is also on track to play in Sri Lanka and India as he seeks a fourth World Cup win.
The Bendemeer Bullet, who was part of the 2015 and 2023 ODI World Cup-winning Australian sides and also the T20 victors from the UAE in 2021, was in superb form with the white ball against India in October prior to the injury.
Cummins, who returned to play in the Ashes-securing Adelaide triumph before Christmas, will continue to be monitored as he rehabilitates the back problem that has ousted him from most of the summer. There is no certainty surrounding his return.
In a statement, CA said Cummins “will undergo scheduled imaging over the coming weeks to assess progress, in line with the management plan established prior to his return to play” with the World Cup clearly a consideration.
The Aussies, which failed to progress beyond the Super 8 section in the 2024 World Cup hosted by the West Indies and United States, are the top ranked nation in a Group B pool featuring Ireland, Oman, Sri Lanka and Zimbabwe.
The Aussies play their first match in Colombo on February 11 against Ireland and will then play Zimbabwe at the same ground two days later before tackling hosts Sri Lanka in Kandy on February 16. Their final pool match against Oman is four days later.
The top two teams in the pool will progress to the Super 8 stages, which will be split into two groups and also be held as a round robin. The top two nations from each pool progress to knockout semifinals, with the decider held on March 8.
Provisional Australian squad:
Mitchell Marsh (Perth Scorchers/Fremantle Cricket Club) (c)
Xavier Bartlett (Brisbane Heat/Gold Coast Cricket Club)
Cooper Connolly (Perth Scorchers/ Scarborough Cricket Club)
Pat Cummins (Sydney Thunder/Penrith Cricket Club)
Tim David (Hobart Hurricanes/Claremont-Nedlands Cricket Club)
Cameron Green (Subiaco-Floreat Cricket Club)
Nathan Ellis (Hobart Hurricanes/Lindisfarne Cricket Club)
Josh Hazlewood (Sydney Sixers/ St George Cricket Club)
Travis Head (Adelaide Strikers/Tea Tree Gully Cricket Club)
Josh Inglis (Perth Scorchers/Joondalup Cricket Club)
Matthew Kuhnemann (Brisbane Heat/Clarence Cricket Club)
Glenn Maxwell (Melbourne Stars/Fitzroy Doncaster Cricket Club)
Matthew Short (Adelaide Strikers/Northcote Cricket Club)
Marcus Stoinis (Melbourne Stars/Scarborough Cricket Club)
Adam Zampa (Melbourne Renegades/Sutherland Cricket Club)
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