(Image Source: Cricket Australia)
[Saba Sports News] Cricket Australia (CA) has unveiled its 15-member squad for the eagerly awaited ICC Cricket World Cup in India, set to kick off on October 5. The five-time champions are scheduled to kickstart their campaign against hosts India on October 8, with the action unfolding at the MA Chidambaram Stadium in Chennai.
In the finalized roster, Australia has made a single alteration compared to the provisional squad, substituting the injured Ashton Agar with Marnus Labuschagne. Unfortunately, Agar won’t be able to participate in the entire tournament due to a calf injury. On the other hand, Labuschagne has earned his call-up thanks to his consistent performances in recent ODI series, both against South Africa and India.
The Australian squad for the World Cup includes the following players: Pat Cummins (c), Sean Abbott, Alex Carey, Cameron Green, Josh Hazlewood, Travis Head, Josh Inglis, Marnus Labuschagne, Mitchell Marsh, Glenn Maxwell, Steve Smith, Mitchell Starc, Marcus Stoinis, David Warner, and Adam Zampa.
Pat Cummins will continue to lead the Kangaroos during the ODI World Cup, and the team will rely on the services of just one specialist spinner, Adam Zampa. Meanwhile, star all-rounder Glenn Maxwell demonstrated his prowess in the final ODI of the three-match series against India in Rajkot, where he produced a career-best performance of 4/40 from 10 overs.
Ashton Agar, despite starting alongside Marnus Labuschagne in the first ODI in South Africa, succumbed to a calf injury that sidelined him for the subsequent two games and necessitated his return home for the birth of his first child.
With Travis Head requiring a minimum of four additional weeks to recover from his hand injury, Australia will essentially have a 14-man squad for the early stages of the competition. This injury occurred when the 29-year-old’s glove was struck by South Africa’s Gerald Coetzee’s delivery during the fourth ODI, revealing a joint fracture in his left hand through subsequent scans.
Tanveer Sangha and Matt Short will remain with the team in India at least until the conclusion of the warm-up games. The five-time champions are scheduled to play two warm-up matches against the Netherlands and Pakistan on September 30 and October 3, respectively, to finalize their starting lineup for the highly anticipated World Cup opener.