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Australia have locked in their final squad for the ICC Men's T20 World Cup 2024, confirming their 15-player group and travelling reserves.
Whilst picking an unchanged group for the playing squad from their preliminary list, Jake Fraser-McGurk and Matt Short will accompany the squad as reserves. It means there is still no spot for Steve Smith and the likes of Jason Behrendorff and Tanveer Sangha with the ball for the four-week tournament in the West Indies and the USA. Mitchell Marsh leads the team, with his promotion to full-time T20I confirmed by Australia alongside their original squad announcement on May 1. Left-arm spinner Ashton Agar won a recall despite not playing a T20I since the last T20 World Cup on Australian soil in 2022, while Marcus Stoinis, Tim David and Cameron Green join Glenn Maxwell made the final squad as all-rounder options. Australian players and staff will arrive in the West Indies in stages, with those competing in the Indian Premier League given time at home before joining the group. Australian chair of selectors George Bailey said Fraser-McGurk and Short made "compelling cases" for selection, and provide better than adequate cover should squad members go down during the tournament. "As the tournament proceeds, the short turnaround between fixtures makes it challenging to get players in at short notice in the event of injury," Bailey said. "Matt provides the squad with an all-round skillset option, while Jake provides further batting cover." "Both players have exciting talents that can add to the squad if needed. If not, the experience will still be valuable in their respective development journeys at the international level." Australia open their T20 World Cup campaign against Oman in Barbados on June 5, before Group B fixtures against England, Namibia and Scotland. Australia squad: Mitchell 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 Travelling Reserves: Jake Fraser-McGurk, Matt Short. (ANI)
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