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The Australian men's team will be at full strength ahead of the T20I series against New Zealand, starting this month. In what will be their final tune-up ahead of the T20 World Cup 2024, the pace trio of Mitchell Starc, Pat Cummins, and Josh Hazlewood have been named after being rested for the leg against the West Indies.
Batters Steve Smith and Travis Head will also return to face the Kiwis, with Mitchell Marsh set to lead the squad. Cummins and Starc have come in place of Sean Abbott and Jason Behrendorff, who couldn't find a spot despite winning T20 Player of the Year at the Cricket Australia Awards 2024.
However, it remains to be seen if Marsh will lead the one-time title winners in the upcoming T20 World Cup in the West Indies and USA. The Men in Yellow also have a few injury concerns as Matt Short sustained a hamstring injury during the second ODI against the West Indies, while seamer Nathan Ellis faces a fitness test later this week amid his rib injury.
Australia's squad to face New Zealand: Mitchell Marsh (c), Pat Cummins, Tim David, Nathan Ellis, Josh Hazlewood, Travis Head, Josh Inglis, Glenn Maxwell, Matt Short, Steve Smith, Mitchell Starc, Marcus Stoinis, Matthew Wade, David Warner, Adam Zampa
Australia's chief selector highlights the importance of next 6 games:
Chief Selector George Bailey underlined that in addition to the six T20Is against West Indies and New Zealand, IPL 2024 performances will hold equal importance before naming the squad for the showpiece event. He said, as quoted by cricket.com.au:
"The next six games will provide us the opportunity to start shaping what we think our World Cup squad will look like and potential roles within that. We will also fully utilise the opportunity to monitor and watch the performances of the Australian players in the IPL immediately preceding the World Cup."
The first T20I will be played on February 21 in Wellington, followed by the second and third T20Is on February 23 (Auckland) and February 25 (Auckland). The two sides will also play a couple of Tests after the T20I series.
