Australian Cricket Team Unveils T20 World Cup Squad, Excluding Smith and Fraser-McGurk
In a surprising move, the Australian cricket team has announced its provisional 15-man squad for the upcoming T20 World Cup tournament to be held in the USA and the Caribbean this June. Notably, the squad excludes former captain Steve Smith and up-and-coming talent Jake Fraser-McGurk.
Steve Smith, who has struggled to find form in the T20 format, managed just 4 and 11 runs in his two innings during the recent series against New Zealand in February. Despite his experience, the selectors have decided to leave him out of the squad, with chief selector George Bailey stating that it’s up to Smith to determine his goals and challenges moving forward.
On the other hand, the exclusion of Fraser-McGurk comes as a surprise, given his impressive performances in the Indian Premier League (IPL) for the Delhi Capitals. The 22-year-old batter has showcased his explosive abilities, registering two 15-ball fifties and three half-centuries in total, with a whopping strike rate of 233.33 in six innings. Bailey acknowledged that the youngster was part of “long conversations” among the selectors.
“It’s up to Steve to determine his goals and challenges moving forward.” – George Bailey, Chief Selector
The 11 players who were part of the group that won the T20 World Cup in the UAE in 2021 have been retained, including captain Mitchell Marsh, Glenn Maxwell, David Warner, Pat Cummins, and Mitchell Starc. The squad also features new additions such as Tim David and Nathan Ellis.
The T20 World Cup is set to kick off on June 1, with Australia aiming to defend their title. Fans and cricket enthusiasts will be closely following the team’s preparations and performance as they seek to once again lift the coveted trophy.
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