Stand-in captain Matthew Wade has praised the extensive talent pool within Australia's T20 squad and anticipates a tough task for selectors in finalizing the World Cup roster following the series sweep in New Zealand.
Despite the absence of regular fast bowlers Pat Cummins and Josh Hazlewood, as well as the injury sidelining opener David Warner, Australia managed to secure a clean sweep of the three-match series with a victory at Eden Park. The rain-curtailed match concluded with Australia triumphing by 27 runs.
In the absence of key players, all-rounder Matt Short emerged as the standout performer, earning the 'Player of the Match' title for his dynamic contribution of 27 runs from 11 deliveries along with a crucial wicket through his off-spin bowling.
Furthermore, the substitute pacers Nathan Ellis and Spencer Johnson showcased their abilities during their respective two-over stints, effectively disrupting New Zealand's pursuit of 126 runs in a match shortened to 10 overs utilizing the Duckworth-Lewis method.
"It's going to be tight for those last few spots, I don't envy George's position," Wade told reporters, referring to chief selector George Bailey.
"I wouldn't want to be picking the 15, there's going to be a couple of unlucky players. But as I said there's always injury around, guys that are outside the 15 may get opportunities as well so we're happy we've got so much depth."
Australia's final international outing before the T20 World Cup, set to commence in the Caribbean and the United States in June, concluded with this series. However, selectors will take into account the performances of players in the upcoming Indian Premier League, starting on March 22.
As the reigning champions in both one-day and test formats, Australia aims to secure the T20 title, aspiring to become the first nation to hold all three global trophies simultaneously. Notably, England currently holds the T20 championship title.
Steve Smith's role in the World Cup campaign remains uncertain, particularly regarding his transition to a T20 opener. Despite his aspirations, he faced disappointment in recent matches, being dismissed for four runs in the final match following an 11-run contribution in the previous encounter in Auckland.
Smith's absence from the IPL auctions last year raised doubts about his T20 prowess. Meanwhile, other players such as Warner, Travis Head, and skipper Mitchell Marsh present stronger cases for the top-order positions.
"Obviously Smithy hasn't played a heap of T20 cricket in the last little bit for Australia," said Wade. "Fingers crossed he makes it but there's always going to be someone who's unlucky."
The middle order is densely populated, with the likes of powerful batsman Tim David, wicketkeeper-batsman Josh Inglis, and versatile all-rounders Glenn Maxwell and Marcus Stoinis vying for positions.
"It's an exciting time to be in the T20 squad, and I can't wait to get started at the World Cup, to be honest," said Wade.
(With Reuters inputs)
