Cricket legend Steve Smith has been left out of Australia’s squad for the T20 World Cup in the Caribbean and USA. The 34-year-old’s exclusion comes after a poor run of form against New Zealand in February, where he scored just 11 and 4.
Despite this setback, promising batter Jake Fraser-McGurk has also been omitted from the squad. Instead, all-rounder Mitchell Marsh will captain the side, with veteran opening batter David Warner selected for what could be his last international tournament.
Selection chief George Bailey emphasized the importance of having the best chance of success in the campaign when determining the final 15 players. Bailey mentioned that there were extensive discussions about including Smith in the side and expressed interest in Fraser-McGurk’s performance, as the young gun has been in top form for the Delhi Capitals in the Indian Premier League.
The 15-man squad includes experienced players like Test captain Pat Cummins, fast bowler Mitchell Starc, and all-rounder Glenn Maxwell, with 11 players from Australia’s winning team at the 2021 T20 World Cup. Ashton Agar, Tim David, Nathan Ellis, Cameron Green, Josh Hazlewood, Travis Head, Josh Inglis, Marcus Stoinis, Matthew Wade, and Adam Zampa are also part of the squad.