Australia World Cup Squad 2023 Announced; Star Batter Dropped

Five-time world champions Australia, on Monday (August 7), announced their 18-man preliminary squad for the upcoming ICC World Cup 2023. The upcoming edition of the marquee event is scheduled to be played from October 5 to November 19 in India.

The same squad will also be playing against South Africa and India ahead of the World Cup. The 18-player squad will be eventually trimmed to 15 for the World Cup. The team from Down Under has sprung a number of surprises in the squad. One of the biggest surprises is the axing of star batsman Marnus Labuschagne from the ODI side.

The right-handed batsman was a regular in Australia’s ODI team and was expected to be a part of the World Cup. Since his debut in 2020, Labuschagne has played in 30 of the 38 ODIs Australia have played so far. He, however, is yet to prove himself in ODIs. In 30 games so far, Labuschagne has scored 847 runs at a modest average of 31 and a strike rate of 83.

Australia squad for ICC World Cup 2023:

While Labuschagne has been dropped from the Australia squad for ICC World Cup 2023, uncapped leg-spinner Tanveer Sangha and allrounder Aaron Hardie have earned their maiden call-ups. Both of them are now in contention to go to India and play in the World Cup in the coming weeks.

Sangha’s call-up has surprised many as he has not played any top-level cricket since a one-day domestic practice match in September last year. After that game, he was sidelined for the entire 2022-23 summer season due to a stress fracture.

Hardie, on the other hand, is one of the most highly-rated young talents in Australia. He will be up against the likes of Mitchell Marsh, Cameron Green, Marcus Stoinis, and Sean Abbott for the seam-bowling allrounder spots in the Australia squad.

Pat Cummins will be leading Australia in the World Cup. The selectors, however, have not named a vice-captain. In recent times, Josh Hazlewood and Steve Smith led the team in Cummins’ absence and one of them could be his deputy for the World Cup. Hazlewood was the captain during one of the ODIs against England in November last year while Smith led the side in all the three ODIs against India in March this year.

Presenting your 18-player squad for the 2023 ODI World Cup, as well as two lead-in series against South Africa and India! ??? pic.twitter.com/h6jVWYJvMy

— Cricket Australia (@CricketAus) August 7, 2023

Australia will open their World Cup campaign on October 8 against hosts India in Chennai. Having defeated India in the ODI series earlier this year, the Cummins-led side will be fancying their chances.

Australia squad for ICC World Cup 2023: Pat Cummins (c), Sean Abbott, Ashton Agar, Alex Carey, Nathan Ellis, Cameron Green, Aaron Hardie, Josh Hazlewood, Travis Head, Josh Inglis, Mitchell Marsh, Glenn Maxwell, Tanveer Sangha, Steve Smith, Mitchell Starc, Marcus Stoinis, David Warner, Adam Zampa

(To be trimmed to 15 for the ODI World Cup)