Cricket Australia announced a 13-member T20I squad for the series against Pakistan . The much-awaited series is set to begin on November 14 and it promises to be a cracker. With the limited overs series set to end just a couple of days before the Border-Gavaskar Trophy starts, hence a number of big players are not included. 

WHAT BAILEY SAID

“It is particularly encouraging to have Xavier, Spencer and Nathan back in the national setup. It’s another opportunity for them to continue to show their ability on the international stage, as they have done in the past,” chief selector George Bailey told cricket.com.au.

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AUS T20I SQUAD FOR PAK SERIES: Sean Abbott, Xavier Bartlett, Cooper Connolly, Tim David, Nathan Ellis, Jake Fraser-McGurk, Aaron Hardie, Josh Inglis, Spencer Johnson, Glenn Maxwell, Matthew Short, Marcus Stoinis, and Adam Zampa.

The absences of star men Marsh, Travis Head, Pat Cummins, Josh Hazlewood, Mitchell Starc (to Test duties) and Cameron Green (injury) will give opportunities to the likes of Jake Fraser-McGurk, Cooper Connolly and Sean Abbott.

Short and Aaron Hardie will take on an elevated role after both impressed during the UK tour, while white-ball specialists Zampa, Ellis, Glenn Maxwell, Marcus Stoinis and Tim David will also be relied on.

Australia will have a new captain for next month’s T20 Internationals against Pakistan with their Test stars set to miss the series that ends in the same week the Border-Gavaskar Trophy campaign begins.

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Josh Inglis, Adam Zampa and Matt Short are in the mix to fill in for Mitch Marsh as T20 skipper against Pakistan after none of the Test incumbents were picked in a 13-man squad for the games in Brisbane, Sydney and Hobart.

It is an inevitable outcome given the yet-to-be-picked Test squad will assemble in Perth ahead of the series opener against India midway through the three-T20 bout against Pakistan.

AUSTRALIA’S SCHEDULE

The final T20I is being played in Hobart on November 18, with the first Test against India beginning on the other side of the country on November 22.