NEW DELHI: Australia will be without the services of all-rounder Mitchell Marsh in their highly anticipated World Cup clash against England this week. Cricket Australia announced on Thursday that Marsh has returned home to Perth due to personal reasons, and the timeline for his return to the squad remains uncertain.
The absence of Marsh, a key contributor to the Australian team, has raised questions about whether a replacement player will be called up to the squad if his absence is prolonged. As of now, it remains unclear if such a decision will be made.
The Australian cricket team, a five-time champion of the ICC Cricket World Cup, is set to face the defending champions, England, in a crucial encounter in Ahmedabad on Saturday. Subsequently, they have important pool stage matches against Afghanistan and Bangladesh later this month. Currently, Australia stand at the third position in the tournament table after six matches, and their focus is on securing a spot in the semi-finals.
This recent setback comes on the heels of another blow for Australia, as all-rounder Glenn Maxwell was ruled out of the match against England due to a concussion suffered after falling off a golf cart earlier in the week.
However, there is some positive news for the Australian side as all-rounder Marcus Stoinis is set to return to the lineup after recovering from a calf problem. Additionally, Cameron Green is expected to fill in for Mitchell Marsh, providing a solution to the team's all-round requirements.
The absence of two key all-rounders will undoubtedly pose challenges for Australia, and their upcoming match against England will be closely watched by cricket enthusiasts worldwide to see how the team adapts to these changes and continues their pursuit of World Cup glory.
(With inputs from Reuters)
