Australia suffered a major setback ahead of their T20 World Cup opener against Ireland. Earlier, veterans Pat Cummins and Josh Hazlewood were ruled out of the competition and now, their captain Mitchell Marsh has been sidelined from the opening match against Ireland after suffering a painful training-ground injury.
Marsh was struck in the groin earlier this week, and medical scans later revealed internal testicular bleeding. Despite the setback, he attended his scheduled pre-match press conference on Tuesday. The news of his withdrawal, however, only became public shortly before the toss in Colombo.
“He [Marsh] is experiencing ongoing pain and discomfort which is restricting his movement. Scans have confirmed internal testicular bleeding, and he will require a period of rest and rehabilitation. His return to play will be guided by symptom resolution and medical advice,” CA’s statement read.
“Standby player Steve Smith will travel to Sri Lanka as cover to acclimatise and prepare, should he be required,” it was added.
Marsh’s absence further stretches an Australian squad already dealing with fitness concerns. Apart from the cricketers that are already ruled out, Tim David too isn’t completely fit. He is being saved for Friday’s fixture against Zimbabwe as he continues to recover from the hamstring injury that cut short his BBL season. That leaves Australia effectively picking from a limited group for the Ireland contest.
What will Smith bring to the table?
Smith, who last featured in a T20I in February 2024, now finds himself back in the frame. His recent BBL form with the Sydney Sixers has strengthened his case. He made 299 runs in six innings at an average of 59.80 and a strike rate of 167.97.
Notably, there were plenty of talks after Smith wasn’t picked for the mega tournament, based on his BBL form. However, the veteran eventually managed to get into the scheme of things and can be added to the main group with so many injury concerns.
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