Mitchell Marsh to lead Australia in T20I against South Africa
Mitchell Marsh became the 12th Men's player to lead Australia in T20 cricket, first match of the series will be played on August 30.
Crickate
Mitchell Marsh has been appointed as Australia's Twenty20 International (T20I) captain for the tour of South Africa, with the 2024 Twenty20 World Cup less than a year away. During the three-match T20I series, South Australia's left-arm speedster Spenser Johnson, Western Australia's Aaron Hardie, and Adelaide Strikers' Matthew Short could all make their international debuts.
Mitchell Marsh is the twelfth Men's player to represent Australia in Twenty20 cricket. He anticipated stunning the selectors with his leadership abilities. During the Ashes, the 31-year-old was in fine form, scoring 250 runs in three matches at an average of 50. He hopes to continue his excellent form against Aiden Markram & Co. after scoring a magnificent century in the third Test at Leeds.
Interestingly, all-rounder Hardie has been included in Australia's preliminary ODI World Cup squad for October-November. After an intense Ashes series that ended in a tie, Australia will face the Proteas in a three-match Twenty20 International (T20I) series. Each of the three events is scheduled to take place in Durban. On August 30, the first T20I will be contested.
Spencer Johnson displayed promise during the inaugural season of Major League Cricket, as he was one of the few bright points for the Los Angeles Knight Riders in a dismal season. The tall left-arm pacer bowls at respectable speeds and can swing the ball in both directions.
In tour matches, Hardie, a right-handed medium-pacer, has dismissed Virat Kohli, Rohit Sharma, and Joe Root. He can also spike the ball when necessary. The 24-year-old was recognised for his contributions to Australia A. Matthew Short, on the other hand, has been an internationally recognised figure in franchise leagues.
He scored some crucial runs at the top of the order and also appeared in six matches for Punjab Kings during the 2023 edition of the Indian Premier League. Australia would welcome a top-order batsman heading into the T20 World Cup in 2024, so the right-handed batter will be looking to capitalise on any opportunities he receives.
Australia T20 squad vs South Africa: Mitchell Marsh (c), Sean Abbott, Jason Behrendorff, Tim David, Nathan Ellis, Aaron Hardie, Travis Head, Josh Inglis, Spencer Johnson, Glenn Maxwell, Matt Short, Steven Smith, Marcus Stoinis, Adam Zampa
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