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Melbourne – Australia have announced Jake Fraser-McGurk and Matthew Short as the reserves for their T20 World Cup squad. The team will travel to the Caribbean and USA, finalizing their 15-man team and the travelling reserves.
Fraser-McGurk has made a significant impact, showcasing his impressive ability to hit the ball powerfully. In nine games for the Delhi Capitals, he scored four half-centuries, amassing 330 runs at a striking rate of 234.04, including 32 boundaries and 28 sixes.
“You look at Jake’s form in the IPL – he took that by storm and he was a serious consideration for the final 15,” coach Andrew McDonald told cricket.com.au.
“And so was Matthew Short. His BBL form has been outstanding over a long period, and he’s also shown glimpses at the international level, albeit at times he’s had to play a different role,” McDonald added. “When you’re on the fringes, you’re going to have to play different roles at different times and he’s embraced some middle-order opportunities. We know he’s best suited at the top of the order – and it’s probably similar for Jake as well – hence why they haven’t been picked in the initial 15. But should anything change, we feel both of them could flexibly fit anywhere in the batting order.”
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When the 2021 T20 World Cup champions unveiled their squad for the 20-over showcase earlier this month, Fraser-McGurk’s absence was one of the biggest surprises. His stellar IPL campaign nearly earned him a spot in the 15-man squad, which was confirmed by Cricket Australia on Tuesday ahead of the ICC’s May 25 deadline. However, the strong top-order consisting of David Warner, Travis Head, and Mitch Marsh saw him miss out.
Cricket Australia stated that players and staff would arrive in the West Indies in stages, allowing those competing in the Indian Premier League some time at home before joining the group. Pat Cummins, Travis Head, Mitchell Starc, Cameron Green, and Glenn Maxwell will join the squad in Barbados ahead of Australia’s tournament opener against Oman on June 5.
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The Australian squad will fly to the Caribbean on Thursday for a training camp in Trinidad, which includes two practice matches against Namibia and West Indies on May 28 and 30, respectively.
Australia will begin their T20 World Cup campaign against Oman in Barbados on June 5, followed by Group B fixtures against England, Namibia, and Scotland.
Australia squad: Mitchell Marsh (c), 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
Travelling Reserves: Jake Fraser-McGurk, Matt Short