(AP Photo)
Three Australian cricketers participated in the IPL 2024 final clash between Kolkata Knight Riders and Sunrisers Hyderabad on Sunday.
The Australian team faces a shortage of players as they gear up for their inaugural T20 World Cup warm-up match against Namibia in Port of Spain, Trinidad, scheduled for Wednesday, May 29. Currently, only nine players are present in the West Indies, with the remainder anticipated to join before their second warm-up match against the host nation on Friday.
Australia is grappling to assemble a full eleven for their encounter with Namibia, with the possibility looming that only eight players from their squad of fifteen may be available for the match, particularly if skipper Mitchell Marsh opts out. Marsh is recuperating from a hamstring injury sustained during his brief stint in IPL 2024 with Delhi Capitals, which led to his premature departure from the tournament after just four appearances.
Due to clashes with the IPL schedule, Australia found themselves with just nine players available for their T20 World Cup warm-up match.
During the IPL 2024 final showdown between Kolkata Knight Riders and Sunrisers Hyderabad on Sunday, May 26, Pat Cummins, Travis Head, and Mitchell Starc—key members of the Australian T20 World Cup squad—took the field. Mitchell Starc, in particular, stood out, earning the Player of the Match accolade for his impressive bowling performance, which contributed significantly to Kolkata Knight Riders clinching their third IPL title.
Cricket Australia (CA) opted to grant a brief respite to the members of the World Cup squad who participated in IPL 2024. This break allows them to recharge before gearing up for the highly anticipated ICC event, slated to kick off on June 2.
Cameron Green, Glenn Maxwell (both representing Royal Challengers Bengaluru), and Marcus Stoinis (playing for Lucknow Super Giants) have yet to arrive in Barbados. Stoinis is anticipated to join the team only after the practice match against Namibia, while Green and Maxwell are expected to arrive by the end of this week.
Mitchell Marsh, quoted by cricket.com.au, acknowledged the potential shortage of players, stating, “We’re going to be undermanned. But it is a practice game. The guys who need to play will play as much as they can, and we’ll figure it out from there. It’s important to be flexible. Guys who have been at the IPL have been playing a lot of cricket.”
“We prioritised giving them a couple of days at home to see their families, refresh, and play the long game for this tournament. We’ve also got guys that have played in the final tonight (Sunday). We will get our 15 (all together) eventually, but really important that we give them a break, even if it’s just a couple of days at home, that’s really important,” Marsh added.
If necessary, Head Coach Andrew McDonald and other Australian support staff members such as Brad Hodge, George Bailey, and Andre Borovec could step onto the field to lend their expertise and assistance.
