Daily Times

Sydney: Marnus Labuschagne has been drafted into Australia’s Cricket World Cup squad with spinner Ashton Agar left out on Thursday after picking up a calf injury. Labuschagne comes into the squad in the one change to the provisional 15-man group announced by Australia earlier this month as Travis Head keeps his place despite being ruled out for the start of the tournament after breaking his hand. Five-time champions Australia will head to India with just one specialist spinner in Adam Zampa. Fellow leg-spinner Tanveer Sangha will stay with the squad until at least the end of the warm-up matches along with all-rounder Matt Short. Labuschagne is rewarded following his rich vein of form in the recent ODI series against South Africa and India, averaging 60 across eight innings while scoring a century and two fifties. He gives Australia extra batting cover in the absence of Head, whose left hand is expected to be in a cast for at least four more weeks.