Cricket Australia have announced an 18-member preliminary squad for the 50-over 2023 World Cup which includes a couple of surprise picks and one notable omission.
Why did Marnus miss out?
In a move that could surprise some, Australia have left out Marnus Labuschagne from their preliminary squad for the 2023 World Cup that will be played in India. Labuschagne is one of only three Australian players to have played 30 or more ODIs since the start of 2020 and is the only specialist batter to do so.
However, his returns haven’t been outstanding in the format. From 28 innings, he averages 31.37 with a strike rate of 83.20 and only one triple-figure score to show for. In Asia, his numbers drop further as his average slips down to 28.91 and strike rate to 77.45. With an abundance of all-round options to choose from, Australia have decided to leave Labuschagne out.