MELBOURNE — Australia pace spearhead Mitchell Starc and batsman Chris Lynn have been named as part of a formidable squad for next month’s Champions Trophy in England and Wales despite nursing injuries.
Starc was forced to pull out midway through the India tour last month with a fractured foot while Lynn has been sidelined with a shoulder injury during the Indian Premier League.
Both are expected to be fit for Australia’s opener on June 2 against New Zealand.
“Our medical staff will continue to monitor Mitchell and Chris’s recovery from their respective injuries but we are hopeful they will be fit in time for the team’s departure on May 18,” selector Trevor Hohns said in a media release.
James Faulkner, Man of the Match in the 2015 World Cup final against New Zealand, has been omitted from the 15-man squad named Thursday, with selectors opting for all-rounders Moises Henriques, Glenn Maxwell and Marcus Stoinis.
Young fast bowler Pat Cummins and James Pattinson, on the comeback trail after suffering stress fractures in his back, were included in an imposing pace battery along with Josh Hazlewood and John Hastings.
Leg-spinner Adam Zampa is the sole specialist spinner in the squad, while batsmen Usman Khawaja, George Bailey and Peter Handscomb have missed out.
Squad:
Steve Smith (captain), David Warner, Pat Cummins, Aaron Finch, John Hastings, Josh Hazlewood, Travis Head, Moises Henriques, Chris Lynn, Glenn Maxwell, James Pattinson, Mitchell Starc, Marcus Stoinis, Matthew Wade and Adam Zampa.
Shafiul back in Bangladesh squad for Champions Trophy
Paceman Shafiul Islam, who last played One-Day International cricket in October last year, has been named in Bangladesh’s 15-man squad for the Champions Trophy in June, the country’s board said Thursday.
Shafiul, who has played 56 ODIs and taken 63 wickets in the 50-over format, has been missing from the international scene since picking up a hamstring injury in a domestic league match last year. His last ODI was against England at Chittagong.
Nurul Hasan, paceman Subashis Roy and all-rounder Shuvagata Hom were dropped from the squad in the wake of the recent drawn series in Sri Lanka.
The Champions Trophy, to be played between the top eight ODI sides of the world, starts from June 1 in England. The 2006 edition was the last time Bangladesh played in the tournament.
The South Asian nation has been grouped with Australia, England and New Zealand in Group A. Defending champion India is in Group B with neighbor and arch-rival Pakistan, South Africa and Sri Lanka.
Squad: Tamim Iqbal, Soumya Sarkar, Imrul Kayes, Mushfiqur Rahim, Shakib Al Hasan, Mahmudullah, Sabbir Rahman, Mosaddek Hossain, Mehedi Hasan, Sunzamul Islam, Mashrafe Bin Mortaza (captain), Mustafizur Rahman, Taskin Ahmed, Rubel Hossain and Shafiul Islam. — Reuters
