Australia have ruled out Steve Smith and Jake Fraser-McGurk from their provisional 15-man T20 World Cup for June’s tournament in the United States and the Caribbean.
Former captain Smith made just four and 11 in two T20I innings in New Zealand in February and has scored just one fifty in the format since 2019.
Fraser-McGurk was also omitted despite impressing for Delhi Capitals in the Indian Premier League with two 15-ball fifties and three half-centuries in total.
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Australia’s Jake Fraser-McGurk smashed a half-century off just 15 balls for Delhi Capitals in the IPL – as he equaled his own record for the fastest fifty this season.
The 22-year-old’s strike rate in six innings is 233.33 and chief selector George Bailey said the batter was among the players who engaged in “long conversations”.
About Smith, Bailey added: “It’s probably up to Steve to answer what his goals or challenges are going forward and what he wants to achieve in the game. I know he still loves playing T20 cricket. “
Eleven players from the team were part of the squad that won the T20 World Cup in the UAE in 2021, including captain Mitchell Marsh, Glenn Maxwell, David Warner, Pat Cummins and Mitchell Starc.
Australia squad for the T20 World Cup: Mitchell Marsh (captain), 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
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The ICC Men’s T20 World Cup in West Indies and USA begins on June 1, live on Sky Sports.
Watch every match from the T20 World Cup 2024 live on Sky Sports Cricket from June 1-29, or stream with NOW.
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