2021 T20 World Cup champions Australia have announced a provisional 15-player squad for ICC Men’s T20 World Cup 2026 in Sri Lanka and India.
Mitchell Marsh captains the group and welcomes back Pat Cummins, Cameron Green and Cooper Connolly, who all missed the most recent T20 Series against India.
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Provisional Australian squad: Mitchell Marsh (c), Xavier Bartlett, Cooper Connolly, Pat Cummins, Tim David, Cameron Green, Nathan Ellis, Josh Hazlewood, Travis Head, Josh Inglis, Matthew Kuhnemann, Glenn Maxwell, Matthew Short, Marcus Stoinis, Adam Zampa
The Aussies have named a spin-heavy group, with Adam Zampa joined by Matthew Kuhnemann, Cooper Connolly and all-rounders Glenn Maxwell and Matthew Short.
Australian chair of selectors George Bailey says the panel had the luxury of focusing on a player group likely to handle conditions in India and Sri Lanka with aplomb, though several players come into the group under a fitness cloud.
“The T20 side has enjoyed a long run of recent success which enabled the panel to choose a balance of players across the variety of conditions Sri Lanka and India may present,” Bailey said.
“Pat Cummins, Josh Hazlewood and Tim David are tracking well and we are confident they will be available for the World Cup.
“This is a preliminary squad so should changes need to be made they will ahead of the support period.”
The side also opted against a left-arm fast bowler, with the retirement of Mitchell Starc from the format and Spencer Johnson’s injury leading to the inclusion of right-armer Xavier Bartlett instead of like-for-like replacement Ben Dwarshuis.
A squad for the three game T20 Series against Pakistan before the World Cup is yet to be named.
