Smith, rising star snubbed as World Cup squad named
Modern great Steve Smith has been brutally axed from Australia’s Twenty20 squad ahead of the World Cup.
The 34-year-old was in the T20 squad for February’s tour of New Zealand, but has been dumped for the team’s title defence in June.
Young gun Jake Fraser-McGurk has also been snubbed despite some strong performances in the Indian Premier League, where he was called on to replace David Warner as opening batter and whacked 84 from 27 for the Mumbai Indians.
Australia has named a 15-player squad. The team has drawn Group B with old foe England, as well as Namibia, Scotland and Oman.
The Aussies won the last Twenty20 World Cup in 2022, and also hold the World Test Championship mace and the men’s ODI crown.
MORE TO COME.
AUSTRALIA’S T20 WORLD CUP SQUAD
Mitch Marsh (c), Ashton Agar, Pat Cummins, Tim David, Nathan Ellis, Cameron Green, Josh Hazlewood, Travis Head, Josh Inglis, Glenn Maxwell, Mitchell Starc, Marcus Stoinis, Matthew Wade, David Warner, Adam Zampa.
Steve Smith of Australia.