Australia has announced their 14-member squad for the three-match T20 International series against New Zealand, scheduled for October. Cricket Australia has included all-rounder Marcus Stoinis in the team, making him a strong contender for the T20 World Cup 2026, which will be held in India and Sri Lanka. Although Stoinis has retired from ODIs and Test cricket, he has expressed his desire to continue playing T20 cricket. The selectors made a bold decision by recalling him to the national T20 squad.
Apart from Stoinis, Mitchell Owen, Matthew Short, and Xavier Bartlett have also been included in the squad. These players are also likely to be in contention for the T20 World Cup 2026. The 36-year-old Stoinis currently doesn’t hold a central or state contract with Cricket Australia, as he last played for the national team in November 2024. He retired from ODIs in February 2025 and hasn’t played Test cricket for some time. Recently, he has been participating in various global T20 leagues.
However, to secure a spot in next year’s T20 World Cup squad, Stoinis will face tough competition for the middle-order all-rounder role. Players like Cameron Green, Tim David, and Mitchell Owen are also strong contenders for the same position. While Cameron Green is currently unavailable as he is part of Australia’s Test squad for the upcoming Ashes series, Mitch Owen is making a comeback after injury, and Tim David has already established himself as a specialist T20 finisher for Australia.
Australia T20I Squad vs New Zealand
Mitchell Marsh (Captain), Sean Abbott, Xavier Bartlett, Tim David, Ben Dwarshuis, Josh Hazlewood, Travis Head, Josh Inglis (WK), Matt Kuhnemann, Glenn Maxwell, Mitchell Owen, Matthew Short, Marcus Stoinis, Adam Zampa.