Australian cricket team might need to change their top order for the Champions Trophy semi-final as Matthew Short is expected to be out due to a quad injury he sustained during the Afghanistan match.
Short’s injury happened towards the end of Afghanistan’s innings. Despite opening with Travis Head, he seemed uncomfortable running between wickets and focused on hitting boundaries.
He managed to score 20 runs from 15 balls in an opening partnership of 44 runs in 4.3 overs before getting caught. Captain Steven Smith indicated that Short may not recover in time.
Smith mentioned after the match that Short is likely struggling and his movement was restricted during the game. He believes there isn’t enough time for Short to recover before the next match.
Jake Fraser-McGurk, who was originally a replacement for the injured Mitchell Marsh, is available as a substitute batter and could directly replace Short as opener. However, Australia has other options too, like all-rounder Aaron Hardie, if someone else is promoted to open.
Smith stated they have players ready to step in and fill the required role.
Cooper Connolly, a left-handed batsman and left-arm spinner, is a reserve player who could join the squad if Short is officially ruled out for the rest of the tournament.
Short’s absence would also mean losing a spin-bowling option. He bowled effectively against Afghanistan, conceding only 21 runs in his seven overs. However, Australia still has other spin options like Head and Marnus Labuschagne, though they weren’t used in the previous game.
Australia has faced several injury concerns leading up to the tournament, with Marsh (back), Pat Cummins (ankle), Josh Hazlewood (hip), and Mitchell Starc (ankle) all missing games, and Marcus Stoinis retiring.
A complex situation for teams qualifying from Group B, potentially South Africa and Australia, is the uncertainty about the semi-final venue – Dubai or Lahore – until the India-New Zealand match concludes on Sunday night.
Group B standings will be clear after the South Africa vs. England match on Saturday. While India (Dubai) and New Zealand (Lahore) have fixed venues for their semi-finals, their final group positions will decide their opponents.
If South Africa defeats England and tops Group B, Australia will play against the winner of the New Zealand-India match. If England wins, Australia will face the loser of that match.
The team playing the Dubai semi-final will have limited preparation time, just over 24 hours. Dubai conditions, where India plays all its matches, tend to favor spinners, and Australia has leg-spinner Tanveer Sangha as a potential option.
Playing in Lahore might be more advantageous for Australia due to familiar conditions, as they have played two group matches there, including a victory chasing 352 against England. However, they might still need to travel to Dubai for the final if India qualifies; otherwise, the final will be in Lahore.
