World Cup 2023: Australia name 18-man squad, Marnus Labuschagne dropped

Marnus Labuschagne’s dream to represent Australia in the upcoming ODI World Cup has been shattered after he was not included in the 18-member provision squad. Instead, uncapped leg-spinner Tanveer Sangha and allrounder Aaron Hardie have entered the mix for the tournament in India in October-November.

Cricket Australia will trim this 18-player squad down to 15 after a five-match series in South Africa in September.

Labuschagne is the most significant omission from the 50-over squad having played 30 of Australia’s 38 matches since making his debut in January 2020. In that period, he’s averaged 31.37.

Sangha’s inclusion comes as a surprise. The 21-year-old has not played any top-level cricket since a one-day domestic practice match last September. Thereafter, he suffered a back stress fracture which sidelined him for the entire 2022-23 summer.

He had previously toured New Zealand for T20Is in February 2021. The 23-year-old was named on the extended squads for tours of West Indies and Bangladesh but didn’t make the final cut.

Hardie’s inclusion in the extended squad goes in tandem with being picked in the T20 squad. While a T20 appearance seems certain, in the 50-over department, there’s competition from Mitchell Marsh, Cameron Green, Marcus Stoinis and Sean Abbott.

Glenn Maxwell will miss the ODI leg of the South Africa tour. The 34-year-old will join the squad in India with matches in Mohali, Indore and Rajkot.

Earlier, Pat Cummins was revealed to have suffered a fractured wrist which will keep him sidelined for six weeks. But he should be fit to join the ODI squad in South Africa in preparation for a return to India. Australia are due to play a three-match series in India in late September.

Mitchell Starc, also recovering from a shoulder injury, has been cleared for the South Africa ODIs.

In view of the injury concerns in the squad, a vice-captain has not been named for the ODI squad. Josh Hazlewood had led the team in one match against England last November and Steve Smith had captained the side in three ODIs versus India earlier this year.

Australia’s ODI squad: 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.