Has Owen Secured His Place in Australia’s ODI Squad for the Series Against South Africa?

New Delhi, July 30 (NationPress) Mitchell Owen has swiftly climbed the ranks, achieving his first selection to Australia’s ODI team for the forthcoming home series against South Africa scheduled for August. Australia will host South Africa for three ODIs and three T20Is across Darwin, Cairns, and Townsville, with Owen included in both squads.

Recently, Owen showcased impressive performance in five T20Is against the West Indies, maintaining a striking strike rate of 192.30. His current form positions him as a strong candidate for a place in the squad for the upcoming T20 World Cup in India and Sri Lanka.

Returning to the white-ball squads are Travis Head and Josh Hazelwood, alongside Matt Short, who has recovered from a minor side strain. In the absence of Pat Cummins, Mitchell Marsh will take up the captaincy for the ODI squad, which also includes Cameron Green, Xavier Bartlett, and Lance Morris.

This marks Morris’s first return to the Australian squad since his last appearance against Pakistan in Perth in November of last year. Notably, Sean Abbott, Jake Fraser-McGurk, Tanveer Sangha, Cooper Connolly, and Aaron Hardie will not be part of the ODI squad.

The T20I squad has been trimmed to 14 members, leading to the exclusion of Fraser-McGurk, Hardie, Connolly, and Bartlett. Both Cummins and Mitchell Starc are absent from both squads as they prepare for the upcoming home summer, which includes the crucial five-match Ashes series.

“As we progress towards the T20 World Cup, the adaptability and depth exhibited in the West Indies, beyond just the results, has been a significant positive. The versatility in the batting order and the ability of bowlers to perform at various stages of the innings were particularly gratifying,” said chief selector George Bailey.

“Mitch Owen and Matt Kuhnemann making their debuts, along with the preparation and contribution from Nathan Ellis to play all five matches, were key highlights. While a smaller squad for a home series means some players miss out, all remain under consideration moving forward, and we feel the entire squad embraced every opportunity,” he added.

“We anticipate this momentum to continue through this series, as well as the upcoming New Zealand and Indian series later this year, as we balance opportunities for players and preparation for the Test summer,” Bailey concluded.

Australia T20I squad: Mitchell Marsh (c), Sean Abbott, Tim David, Ben Dwarshuis, Nathan Ellis, Cameron Green, Josh Hazlewood, Travis Head, Josh Inglis, Matt Kuhnemann, Glenn Maxwell, Mitchell Owen, Matthew Short, and Adam Zampa.

Australia ODI squad: Mitchell Marsh (c), Xavier Bartlett, Alex Carey, Ben Dwarshuis, Nathan Ellis, Cameron Green, Josh Hazlewood, Travis Head, Josh Inglis, Marnus Labuschagne, Lance Morris, Mitchell Owen, Matthew Short, and Adam Zampa.