Kandy, Sri Lanka – Steve Smith has been officially added to Australia’s T20 World Cup squad, bolstering the batting lineup ahead of a crucial match against Sri Lanka on Monday night (Tuesday 12:30am AEDT). The move comes after Mitchell Marsh sustained a testicular injury during net practice, sidelining him for the opening two games of the tournament.
Smith trained with the Australian team in Kandy on Sunday and is now available for selection. According to selector Tony Dodemaide, the decision to activate Smith was made in accordance with ICC regulations, which require squad changes to be submitted at least one day before a match. “With Steve here, along with some uncertainty around Mitch and Marcus Stoinis, it made sense he (Smith) is activated and available for selection in time for the match, if required,” Dodemaide stated.
While Smith’s inclusion strengthens the squad, his immediate playing status remains uncertain. Marsh is expected to return to the team, and all-rounder Marcus Stoinis has indicated his injured left hand is “pretty good.” Smith’s participation will likely depend on Marsh’s fitness.
This is not the first injury concern for the Australian team. Josh Hazlewood was previously ruled out of the tournament, paving the way for Smith’s initial inclusion as a replacement.
Australia suffered a shock defeat to Zimbabwe in their opening match and now face a must-win situation against the host nation. A loss would leave their World Cup hopes hanging by a thread, dependent on Zimbabwe losing their remaining matches against Ireland and Sri Lanka, as well as a significant improvement in net run rate. Even a victory against Sri Lanka does not guarantee progression, as a three-way tie involving Zimbabwe is possible, potentially decided on net run rate. Australia will then necessitate to convincingly defeat Oman in their final group game.
As of Monday, the Group B standings are as follows: Sri Lanka (2-0, 3.125 NRR), Zimbabwe (2-0, 1.984 NRR), Australia (1-1, 1.100 NRR), Ireland (1-2, 0.150 NRR), and Oman (0-3, -4.455 NRR).
The match between Australia and Sri Lanka is scheduled to begin at 12:30am AEDT.
