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Pat Cummins' T20 World Cup chances uncertain despite Australia squad announcement

Debashis Sarangi

Pat Cummins [Source: AFP]Pat Cummins [Source: AFP]

On Thursday, Australia unveiled a formidable 15-member squad for the upcoming T20 World Cup edition. Mitchell Owen and Ben Dwarshuis were two of the most notable names to miss out, while Pat Cummins and Tim David were included in the team despite sustaining injuries recently. Although Test captain Pat Cummins made it into the Australia squad for the T20 World Cup, he might still get sidelined if he doesn't get the fitness clearance to feature in the tournament. 

Scans to decide Pat Cummins' participation in T20 World Cup

Pat Cummins recently missed the first two Ashes Tests against England due to a back injury. It was a recurring lower back stress injury that had also sidelined him from multiple international assignments, including the ODI series against India on home soil. 

Although Cummins made a comeback and led Australia in the third Ashes Test at the Adelaide Oval, the hosts rested him in the subsequent two matches to manage his workload ahead of the T20 World Cup. 

While Pat Cummins bowled in full throttle and played a pivotal role in helping Australia retain the Ashes by winning the Adelaide Test, his participation in the T20 World Cup is still uncertain due to the injury. As revealed by Cricket.com.au, Cummins will undergo scans of his back later in January, after which a decision will be made on his availability for the showpiece event. 

"A scan on Pat Cummins' back later this month will determine whether he will be right for the tournament," Cricket Australia stated. 


What could be Australia's pace battery if Pat Cummins misses T20 World Cup?

Australia have dropped Ben Dwarshuis from their T20 World Cup squad, picking the in-form Xavier Bartlett alongside Josh Hazlewood, Cummins and Nathan Ellis to spearhead their pace attack. If Cummins gets sidelined from the T20 World Cup due to the back injury, Australia might recall someone like Dwarshuis or Spencer Johnson to their setup. 

It's worth mentioning that the ICC allows the teams to modify their T20 World Cup squads until January 31. So, if Cummins doesn't get the fitness clearance, Australia will announce his replacement before the aforementioned deadline. 

Pat Cummins' T20I and World Cup career at a glance

Pat Cummins has been a regular face in Australia's T20I side over the years. The 32-year-old has played 57 T20Is, scalping 66 wickets at a decent economy of 7.40. 

With Mitchell Starc and Josh Hazlewood leading the new-ball bowling, Cummins has mostly played as a third seamer, courtesy of his ability to hit the deck hard. Besides being a force to reckon with the ball, Cummins can also chip in with handy batting contributions lower down the order. 

Talking about his T20 World Cup career, Cummins has bagged 23 wickets in 22 matches across four editions of the tournament. 

Australia's squad for T20 World Cup

Mitchell Marsh (c), Xavier Bartlett, Cooper Connolly, Pat Cummins, Tim David, Cameron Green, Nathan Ellis, Josh Hazlewood, Travis Head, Josh Inglis, Matthew Kuhnemann, Glenn Maxwell, Matthew Short, Marcus Stoinis, Adam Zampa