Australia announced a 23-member preliminary squad on Monday for its limited-overs tour of West Indies in July. Big names like Steve Smith, David Warner and Pat Cummins have been included in the squad, whereas Marnus Labsuchagne has missed out due to COVID protocols as he is currently playing county cricket in England.
Star Australian players, including Mitchell Starc, who missed Australia’s T20I series in New Zealand in March, have been included in the side, while batsman Marnus Labuschagne is currently playing county cricket for Glamorgan and did not make the cut due to travel restrictions.
“Anyone who knows Marnus understands he would give absolutely anything to play for Australia and he is deeply upset to miss out due to circumstances beyond anyone’s control. We worked through numerous options in conversations with Marnus to find a workable solution but ultimately came to the conclusion it was more practical for him to remain in the UK,” Australia’s national selector Trevor Hohns said in an official Cricket Australia release.
Looking at the conditions in India, which will favor the spinners in the upcoming T20 World Cup, Australia named 4 spinners to test them out before the big tournament. Leg-spinners Mitchell Swepson, Adam Zampa and Tanveer Sangha, along with finger spinner Ashton Agar have been included in the squad.
Wicket-keeper batsman Alex Carey who last featured for Australia in T20s in September, also marked his return with Mathew Wade and Josh Philippe also in the squad. Moreover, seamers Kane Richardson, Jhye Richardson, Andrew Tye, Jason Behrendorff and Riley Meredith were also named in the squad alongside Cummins, Hazlewood, and Starc.
Australia’s national selector Trevor Hohns claimed that the Australian men’s T20 squad has the ability to defeat any team in the world, and the competition in the upcoming series will be fierce. Praising the West Indies men’s team, which has won two of the six ICC T20 World Cups played thus far, Hohns claimed that this series will provide the Aussies with excellent preparation ahead of the 2021 edition in October and November.
The five-match T20I series begins on July 10 in St.Lucia, which will be followed by three ODIs.
