COLOMBO, Sri Lanka (AP) — Captain Mitchell Marsh continued to recover from a testicular injury as Australia won the toss and chose to bowl against Zimbabwe in a T20 World Cup match on Friday.
Marsh suffered the injury during a training session in the nets on the eve of Australia’s opening Group B game and was also absent for their 67-run victory over Ireland. Travis Head will captain the team in Marsh’s absence.
The middle-order batter, having been sidelined by a hamstring injury during the Big Bash League, came back into the side – one of two changes made to Australia from game one. David replaced Connolly and brought in fast bowler Xavier Bartlett in place of Ben Dwarshuis.
It is the first T20 World Cup match between the two countries since Zimbabwe’s remarkable five-wicket triumph over Australia in the inaugural tournament 12 years ago.
Zimbabwe, which opened the tournament with an eight-wicket win over Oman, also made two changes with intermittent veteran Brendan Taylor who retired hurt in that game replaced by wicketkeeper-batter Tadiwanashe Marumani.
Paceman Richard Ngarava was rested and Tony Munyonga came into the playing XI.
Later Friday
Two other games on Friday will feature four associate nations. United Arab Emirates will be searching for its first win as it takes on Canada in a Group D fixture at New Delhi.
The Americans, who have already succumbed to by India and Pakistan in Group A, next meet the Netherlands in Chennai, India.
Lineups:
Zimbabwe: Brian Bennett, Tadiwanashe Marumani, Dion Myers, Sikandar Raza (captain), Ryan Burl, Tony Munyonga, Tashinga Musekiwa, Brad Evans, Wellington Masakadza, Graeme Cremer, Blessing Muzarabani.
Australia: Travis Head (captain), Josh Inglis, Cameron Green, Tim David, Glenn Maxwell, Marcus Stoinis, Matt Renshaw, Ben Dwarshuis, Nathan Ellis, Matt Kuhnemann, Adam Zampa.