New Delhi, June 4 (IANS) Mitch Owen has earned a maiden call-up to the Australian team after being named in the squad for the five-match T20I series against the West Indies in July. Young opener Jake Fraser-McGurk is a notable omission from the T20I squad after an extended lean period, while Marcus Stoinis and Xavier Bartlett are also dropped for the trip to the Caribbean.

Cameron Green and Cooper Connolly also return to the T20I team following recovery from their respective injuries, though the former is expected to play as a specialist batter. Josh Hazlewood, who won IPL 2025 title with the Royal Challengers Bengaluru on Tuesday night, also comes back to the side, so as Glenn Maxwell, while left-arm spinner Matthew Kuhnemann has been handed a first-ever call-up to the T20I team.

Pat Cummins, Travis Head and Mitchell Starc will not be a part of the T20I series and will return to Australia following the Test series in the West Indies. Mitchell Marsh is back to captaining Australia after missing the T20I series against Pakistan in November 2024 due to paternity leave and preparation for Tests against India.

Owen’s call-up comes on the back of him having a breakout BBL season with the Hobart Hurricanes, including hitting a century in the final, as the side won its first title. Though he had a lean run in the SA20, PSL and IPL, the George Bailey-led selection committee is keen to see what Owen does at the top of the order under pressure and rigours of international cricket.

Australia has won 12 of their past 14 T20I matches as it builds toward next year’s ICC Men’s T20 World Cup, to be held in India and Sri Lanka. After the series against the West Indies, Australia will play T20I matches against South Africa, New Zealand and India.

“We have a busy T20 schedule coming up through this Series, followed by three against South Africa and New Zealand and five matches against India at home as we continue to refine and build a squad we think will be the right fit for the World Cup on the subcontinent.”

“There are a number of players outside the squad who can still force their way into the mix for those upcoming Indian Series and through the Big Bash. The connection, role development and combinations we will have as options are growing nicely as we build towards the World Cup. It’s an exciting time in our T20 space,” said Bailey.

Australia T20I squad: Mitchell Marsh (c), Sean Abbott, Cooper Connolly, Tim David, Ben Dwarshuis, Nathan Ellis, Cameron Green, Aaron Hardie, Josh Hazlewood, Josh Inglis, Spencer Johnson, Matt Kuhnemann, Glenn Maxwell, Mitch Owen, Matthew Short, and Adam Zampa

–IANS

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