Afghanistan vs Australia
David Warner is set to play his first official game for Australia in more than a year after passing a fitness test on a muscle strain that clouded his participation in Saturday’s Cricket World Cup group game against Afghanistan.
Skipper Aaron Finch confirmed on that Warner has been cleared to play, meaning the opening pair from Australia’s World Cup winning campaign in 2015 will likely be reunited for the opening game of the title defence in Bristol.
Finch, who took over the captaincy of the one-day international squad after Warner and ex-skipper Steve Smith were banned in March last year following a ball-tampering scandal, said the starting line-up hadn’t been finalised for the Afghanistan game.
Warner and Smith have been involved in Australia’s unofficial practice matches against New Zealand, West Indies, England and Sri Lanka since rejoining the squad to prepare for the World Cup.
Usman Khawaja, who partnered Finch at the top of the order in Warner’s absence, is likely to bat at No. 3 and Smith at No. 4.
The bowling attack is still under consideration, with most speculation revolving around which seamer will support likely starting pacemen Mitchell Starc and Pat Cummins.
Australia’s Possible XI: Aaron Finch (c), David Warner, Usman Khawaja/Shaun Marsh, Steve Smith, Glenn Maxwell, Marcus Stoinis, Alex Carey, Nathan Coulter-Nile, Pat Cummins, Mitchell Starc, Adam Zampa
Afghanistan’s Possible XI: Mohammad Shahzad, Hazratullah Zazai, Rahmat Shah, Asghar Afghan, Gulbadin Naib (c), Najibullah Zadran, Mohammad Nabi, Rashid Khan, Mujeeb ur Rahman, Dawlat Zadran, Aftab Alam
Skipper Aaron Finch confirmed on that Warner has been cleared to play, meaning the opening pair from Australia’s World Cup winning campaign in 2015 will likely be reunited for the opening game of the title defence in Bristol.
Finch, who took over the captaincy of the one-day international squad after Warner and ex-skipper Steve Smith were banned in March last year following a ball-tampering scandal, said the starting line-up hadn’t been finalised for the Afghanistan game.
Warner and Smith have been involved in Australia’s unofficial practice matches against New Zealand, West Indies, England and Sri Lanka since rejoining the squad to prepare for the World Cup.
Usman Khawaja, who partnered Finch at the top of the order in Warner’s absence, is likely to bat at No. 3 and Smith at No. 4.
The bowling attack is still under consideration, with most speculation revolving around which seamer will support likely starting pacemen Mitchell Starc and Pat Cummins.
Australia’s Possible XI: Aaron Finch (c), David Warner, Usman Khawaja/Shaun Marsh, Steve Smith, Glenn Maxwell, Marcus Stoinis, Alex Carey, Nathan Coulter-Nile, Pat Cummins, Mitchell Starc, Adam Zampa
Afghanistan’s Possible XI: Mohammad Shahzad, Hazratullah Zazai, Rahmat Shah, Asghar Afghan, Gulbadin Naib (c), Najibullah Zadran, Mohammad Nabi, Rashid Khan, Mujeeb ur Rahman, Dawlat Zadran, Aftab Alam