'I will put Pakistan in...': Australia great Glenn McGrath names his four semi-finalists for ODI World Cup
Australia great Glenn McGrath has named his four semi-finalists for the upcoming ODI World Cup in India.
After outclassing Rohit Sharma's Team India in the ICC World Test Championship final, Pat Cummins' Australian side has set their sights on the upcoming edition of the 50-over World Cup. The record-time champions have announced a preliminary squad for the One Day International (ODI) World Cup scheduled to take place in India. Australia have left out star batter Marnus Labuschagne from its 18-man preliminary squad for the ODI World Cup.
Captain Cummins, who has a fractured wrist, is expected to be available for the ODI World Cup. The 18-man squad will be trimmed by Cricket Australia after the white-ball series against South Africa and India in September. Australia will play a three-match ODI series against World Cup hosts India in the lead-up to the ICC event. With Australia set to tour India ahead of the ODI World Cup, legendary cricketer Glenn McGrath believes the former champions will have enough match practice for the showpiece event.
'The Australian Test team is quite different…'
The former Australian pacer feels England and Australia are frontrunners in the race for the last-four stage of the ODI World Cup. "Although the (Australian) Test team is quite different to the one-day one, I think they will do well. Australia is one of the top four teams to make it to the semis of the World Cup," McGrath said while visiting the MRF Pace Foundation academy in Chennai.
Australia have named uncapped spinner Tanveer Sangha and all-rounder Aaron Hardie in its 18-member preliminary squad for the ODI World Cup. Australia will miss the services of skipper all-rounder Glenn Maxwell in the ODI series against South Africa. Skipper Cummins has an undisplaced fracture of his left radius which requires six weeks rehabilitation. Thus, the Australian skipper is ruled out of the T20I series in South Africa.
'I put India and England as well'
Former Aussie captain Steve Smith will open the batting for his side against South Africa in the upcoming T20I series. Former world champions Australia have named Mitchell Marsh as the team captain for the South Africa T20Is. “They like competing in the big tournaments and big games. They perform well and have got enough experience, and also have some younger guys coming through. Also, they have enough matches in the sub-continent to prepare for the tournament. I put India and England as well. England has been playing some good one-day cricket lately. I will put Pakistan in there as well," McGrath added.
Australia's ODI squad (to be trimmed to 15) for World Cup: 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.
