Big names in, big names unlucky: Australia names World Cup squad

Exiled Australian batsmen Steve Smith and David Warner have been named in Australian’s 15-man World Cup squad.

The former captain and his deputy headline the inclusions, with in-form batsman Peter Handscomb and star Test bowler Josh Hazlewood the unlucky exclusions.

Victorian batsman Aaron Finch has retained the captaincy after a stellar month to end a dry spell.

Fellow Victorians Glenn Maxwell and Marcus Stoinis have both been selected, but may find themselves battling for the same position in the starting XI with two batsmen likely to make way for Smith and Warner, both of whom have shown positive signs in their returns from 12-month bans for ball tampering.

Australia’s squad will hold a training camp in Brisbane in early May, which will include three warm-up matches against a New Zealand side that will be without most of their biggest players due to the Indian Premier League.

Our first World Cup match comes against Afghanistan in Bristol on June 1.

15-MAN WORLD CUP SQUAD

• Aaron Finch (c)
• Usman Khawaja
• David Warner
• Steve Smith
• Shaun Marsh
• Glenn Maxwell
• Marcus Stoinis
• Alex Carey (vc)
• Pat Cummins (vc)
• Mitchell Starc
• Jhye Richardson
• Nathan Coulter-Nile
• Jason Behrendorff
• Nathan Lyon
• Adam Zampa