Australia announces T20I squad for series against West Indies

Australia has revealed the squad for the upcoming T20I series against West Indies, with some notable names returning to the team. The hosts, led by Mitchell Marsh in the absence of regular captain Steve Smith, have included recently retired Test and ODI batter David Warner, all-rounder Glenn Maxwell, and fast-bowler Josh Hazlewood. This series will also serve as an opportunity for players like Matt Short, Tim David, Matthew Wade, and bowlers Jason Behrendorff, Nathan Ellis, and Sean Abbott to showcase their abilities before the T20I World Cup in June.

Ahead of the series, Australia has decided to rest explosive batter Marcus Stoinis in order to keep him fresh for the upcoming tours of New Zealand, both in the T20 and Test formats, starting on February 21.

On the other side, West Indies’ T20I squad, led by Rovman Powell, will see the inclusion of Brandon King and Sherfane Rutherford, who were granted permission to participate in ILT20. The squad also features the experienced Jason Holder and Kyle Mayers, who were unavailable for the Test tour. However, one notable omission from the squad is Shai Hope, who was left out due to poor form during the ODI series against England last year.