Australia name spin-heavy squad for T20 World Cup

MELBOURNE, Australia:

Australian selectors have named a spin-heavy squad for the defending champions for the forthcoming Twenty20 World Cup in Sri Lanka and India.

The 2021 tournament winners decided on Thursday not to pick a left-arm paceman in the absence of the T20-retired Mitchell Starc. Cooper Connolly, who has not played in any of the Australians' past 12 T20 Internationals, was the surprise inclusion.

Starc has missed just one of the past six International Cricket Council's (ICC) T20 events but retired from the format at the international level late last year.

Australia open the tournament on February 11 against Ireland in Colombo, then play Zimbabwe in Colombo on February 13, followed by matches in Kandy against Sri Lanka on February 16 and Oman on February 20.

A scan on Pat Cummins' back later this month will determine whether he will play in the tournament. Josh Hazlewood and Tim David are both on the comeback trail from hamstring injuries.

ICC rules permit squad changes until January 31.

Australia will play a three-match T20 series against Pakistan beginning later this month. Australia's group-stage matches are all being played in Sri Lanka, but the team will travel to India for at least some of their Super Eights games if they qualify.