Ellis cleared to play, David to miss Aussies' World Cup opener

2h ago Jack Paynter, in Colombo

Mitch Marsh confirms Hobart Hurricanes paceman is available to face Ireland after recovering from a hamstring niggle

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Nathan Ellis has been cleared to take the field for Australia in Wednesday's T20 World Cup opener against Ireland after completing his recovery from a hamstring injury.

Captain Mitch Marsh also confirmed Tim David would sit out the Ireland clash as he returns from a hamstring strain of his own, as the Aussies take a cautious approach with their big-hitting star.

David hasn't played since Boxing Day last year when he was hurt while batting for Hobart Hurricanes in the Big Bash, but the 29-year-old has trained strongly since joining the T20 squad in Sri Lanka last week.

The right-hander has batted at every Australian training session in Colombo except today's optional hit-out, while he's also completed several running and fielding sessions, including sprinting between the wickets in his full kit on Tuesday.

Australia play their first two World Cup matches in the space of three days, with Ireland (Wednesday 8.30pm AEDT) quickly followed by Zimbabwe on Friday (4.30pm AEDT).

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"We'll certainly see him come back into contention over the next few games," Marsh said of David during his pre-match press conference.

While Marsh refrained from revealing his XI to face Ireland, David's absence opens the door for Matthew Rensahw to play his first World Cup match.

The left-handed middle-order batter was only added to Australia's T20 World Cup squad 10 days ago when allrounder Matt Short was dropped, but he now seems a strong chance to retain his spot in the XI after debuting against Pakistan last month.

Renshaw earned his place in the T20 squad on the back of several dominant summers Brisbane Heat, with the recent KFC BBL|15 campaign his most consistent yet, averaging a career-high 36 with a strike rate better than 150. He also scored his maiden T20 century to spearhead their record run chase of 258 to beat Perth Scorchers in December.

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Ellis meanwhile is set to lead a pace attack without Mitchell Starc, Josh Hazlewood or Pat Cummins at a World Cup for the first time since 2011. Hazlewood (Achillies) and Cummins (back) were both recently ruled out of the tournament due to injury, while Starc has retired from T20 internationals.

Left-arm spinners Matthew Kuhnemann and Cooper Connolly, and quicks Xavier Bartlett and Ben Dwarshuis – the latter who replaced Cummins in the World Cup squad – appear to be jostling for the remaining spots in Australia's bowling line-up alongside experienced pair Adam Zampa and Ellis.

"Over the past 12 months, guys like Benny Dwarshuis and Xavier Bartlett have played pretty much all our games, so we've got great confidence that they'll be able to do a role for us," Marsh said.

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"We've built out a squad of maybe 18 to 20 people that have played over the past 12 months, and we've got game time to all of them.

"They've all faced different situations in matches and while some of them haven't played a lot for Australia, they've played a lot of cricket and we've got great confidence … in the group that we've got here."

Australia are the last of the 20 competing teams to kick off their T20 World Cup campaign, which has allowed them to get a glimpse of Ireland – a side they've played against just once in the past decade – before facing them in the tournament.

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"We've been focusing on our own preparation, and it's been nice have a longer lead in," Marsh said.

"Certain players weren't in Pakistan (for the series prior to the World Cup), so (it's been) getting the group together for a week. Now it's here, we're on the eve of the World Cup for us and we're looking forward to it."

2026 ICC Men's T20 World Cup

Australia squad: Mitch Marsh (c), Xavier Bartlett, Cooper Connolly, Tim David, Ben Dwarshuis, Cameron Green, Nathan Ellis, Travis Head, Josh Inglis, Matthew Kuhnemann, Glenn Maxwell, Matthew Renshaw, Marcus Stoinis, Adam Zampa. Travelling reserve: Sean Abbott