Published: Apr 15, 2019, 06:22 AM (IST)
Edited: Apr 15, 2019, 06:22 AM (IST)
Australia have named former captain Steve Smith and former vice-captain David Warner in their 15-man squad for the 2019 ICC Cricket World Cup.
The pair, who in March completed 12-month bans for the ball-tampering saga, have been welcomed back into the ODI fold for Australia’s defence of the World Cup in England this summer, but there is no place for Josh Hazlewood or Peter Handscomb.
Handscomb, since he was recalled to Australia’s ODI squad in January, has this year made 479 runs in 12 innings at 43.54, with one century and three fifties. Hazlewood recently recovered from a back injury that kept him out of action since January and had admitted to being nervous about Australia’s selection for the World Cup.
Usman Khawaja has expectedly kept his place after tallying 769 runs at an average of 59.15 in 2019, thus making him the leading ODI run-getter of the year.
Alex Carey is headed to his first World Cup as wicketkeeper. The fast bowlers picked are Mitchell Starc, Jhye Richardson and Jason Behrendorff with Marcus Stoinis the seam-bowling allrounder.
Australia’s World Cup squad: Aaron Finch (capt), Jason Behrendorff, Alex Carey (wk), Nathan Coulter-Nile, Pat Cummins, Usman Khawaja, Nathan Lyon, Shaun Marsh, Glenn Maxwell, Jhye Richardson, Steve Smith, Mitchell Starc, Marcus Stoinis, David Warner, Adam Zampa
