Warner batting ‘in a different league'

David Warner and Steve Smith will be "welcomed back with open arms" by Australia's World Cup squad, with the pair's IPL form vindicating their selection for the global 50-over tournament.

That's the view of Australia ODI allrounder Glenn Maxwell, who conceded his own ambitions to move up Australia's batting order will likely be curtailed by the duo’s return to the national team.

The 12-month bans handed to Smith and Warner for their roles in last year's ball-tampering scandal expired in late March and they will link up with the Australian team in a week's time when Australia's pre-World Cup camp begins in Brisbane on May 2.

Warner is the IPL's leading run-scorer so far this season, although his early exit from the tournament that doesn't finish until May 12 means he will likely relinquish that title, with 574 runs from 10 matches at an average of 71.75 and strike rate north of 146.

"David Warner is batting in a different league at the moment," Maxwell told SEN on Wednesday.

"He's been absolutely phenomenal, some of the shots he's been playing.

"If he can keep that form going into the World Cup then Australia are going to be in a really good position.

"With him, Finchy (captain Aaron Finch) and (Usman) Khawaja as our probable top three, it's going to be an exciting tournament."

Smith, who has assumed the captaincy of the Rajasthan Royals in the IPL but still has another year of being banned from holding an official leadership position in Australian cricket, started slower than Warner but has recently hit his strides with back-to-back fifties.

Smith has scored 295 runs in eight innings, at 49.16 with a strike rate above 116, and Maxwell said the pair’s efforts meant there was no doubt they deserved their World Cup spots.

Asked if Australia are ready to have them back, Maxwell replied: "They certainly are. If you look at the way they are playing over in India at the moment they'll welcome them back with open arms.

"They've been outstanding over there.

"Not just their batting but their leadership skills … their cricket knowledge is going to be really helpful for Finchy."

The return of Smith and Warner to a team that won away ODI series against India and Pakistan in March means the Aussies will enter their World Cup defence full of confidence.

"The way we performed in the last couple of series, it has shown the world we have the cattle to trouble anyone that walks on the field against us," Maxwell said.

"Hopefully we can turn up on each day and really take it to whoever is playing us.

"Once we put the right team on the board and everyone plays their roles, we'll be right."

Australia's warm-up camp will include three unofficial 50-over matches against a New Zealand XI that will be without their biggest names who are remaining with their IPL sides, before warm-up fixtures against England and Sri Lanka in the UK.

Australia's opening match of the World Cup tournament is against Afghanistan in Bristol on June 1 from 10.30pm AEDT. Australia's World Cup matches and the finals will be broadcast on the Nine Network, while Fox Sports will carry coverage of every match from the 50-over showpiece event.

2019 World Cup

Australia's squad: Aaron Finch (c), Jason Behrendorff, Alex Carey (wk), Nathan Coulter-Nile, Pat Cummins, Usman Khawaja, Nathan Lyon, Shaun Marsh, Glenn Maxwell, Jhye Richardson, Steve Smith, Mitchell Starc, Marcus Stoinis, David Warner, Adam Zampa

May 25: (warm-up) England v Australia, Southampton

May 27: (warm-up) Australia v Sri Lanka, Southampton

June 1: Afghanistan v Australia, Bristol (D/N)

June 6: Australia v West Indies, Trent Bridge

June 9: India v Australia, The Oval

June 12: Australia v Pakistan, Taunton

June 15: Sri Lanka v Australia, The Oval

June 20: Australia v Bangladesh, Trent Bridge

June 25: England v Australia, Lord's

June 29: New Zealand v Australia, Lord's (D/N)

July 6: Australia v South Africa, Old Trafford (D/N)

July 9: Semi-Final 1, Old Trafford

July 11: Semi-Final 2, Edgbaston

July 14: Final, Lord's

For a full list of all World Cup fixtures, click HERE