Why Australia has backed two spinners with one wicket between them for T20 World Cup

Australia have flagged a potential gamble on left-arm spin and the fitness of their injured veterans at next month’s Twenty20 World Cup – a tournament where Mitch Marsh’s side has missed the semi-finals in its past two editions.

Left-arm spinners Matt Kuhnemann (29) and Cooper Connolly (22) are the two most notable additions to a largely settled 15-man provisional squad named on Thursday for February’s event in Sri Lanka and India.

The pair has taken one wicket between them in 10 Twenty20 internationals, with Kuhnemann’s best match figures in four appearances this year the 0-14 from two overs against India in October.

But with a nod to subcontinent conditions, and Connolly’s impressive BBL batting form (170 runs at a strike rate of 166), he and Kuhnemann will vie for second spinning duties behind Zampa.

Spin bowlers have claimed 43 per cent of all T20 international wickets in Sri Lanka, where Australia’s group stage games will be played, raising the prospect of both left-armers being picked alongside Zampa, while Glenn Maxwell and Matt Short also offer finger spin options.

A similar gamble paid off when Australia picked Kuhnemann and Connolly for the two-Test tour of Sri Lanka last February - Kuhnemann’s 16 wickets at 17 were the most of any bowler in the series.

Hobart Hurricanes star Mitch Owen and left-armer Ben Dwarshuis are the most notable omissions, while Josh Inglis is the only recognised wicketkeeper named, with Maxwell a potential option to take the gloves should Inglis be unavailable at short notice.

With the World Cup beginning in less than six weeks, seamer Josh Hazlewood (Achilles) and power-hitter Tim David (hamstring) have been named with hopes they will play a significant role as the tournament rolls on.

Test skipper Pat Cummins has also been included despite not playing an international T20 since the 2024 World Cup in the Caribbean, where Australia were knocked out by eventual semi-finalists Afghanistan.

Cummins is due for another back scan at the end of January after being rested from the last two Ashes Tests. Australia will be able to replace him from outside their squad if he is ruled out.

“Pat Cummins, Josh Hazlewood and Tim David are tracking well, and we are confident they will be available for the World Cup,” selection chair George Bailey said on Thursday.

Nathan Ellis, Zampa and Dwarshuis have been Australia’s leading T20 wicket-takers over the past year; however, Brisbane Heat bowler Xavier Bartlett has been preferred to Dwarshuis for the World Cup. Hazlewood was in imperious white-ball form against India before injuries cruelled his Test campaign before it began.

Australia have won 14 of their 16 T20 outings since July’s tour of the West Indies, with Marsh, David and Inglis formidable fixtures in a settled batting order that will also include Travis Head.

Cameron Green and Glenn Maxwell fill out batting all-rounder roles. Despite his recent red-ball struggles, Green has hit 258 international T20 runs this year at 43 and a strike-rate of 168.

Australia have the ODI World Cup in their keeping after memorably rolling India on their home turf in 2023, but have underwhelmed in the last two T20 events.

The shock 2024 exit in the West Indies followed a 2022 campaign as hosts where rain and net run-rate contributed to Australia bowing out at the group stage. A three-game warm-up series against Pakistan scheduled before Australia’s campaign begins on February 11 against Ireland, with games against Zimbabwe, Sri Lanka and Oman in the World Cup’s group stage.

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