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The ODI World Cup 2023 has turned out to be a great tournament for cricket enthusiasts and has delivered many intense and exciting matches so far. The cricketing world’s attention was once again riveted to one such more highly anticipated showdown between Australia and Afghanistan at the Wankhede Stadium in Mumbai.
The shocking news of Steve Smith’s exclusion
While the return of Glenn Maxwell and Mitchell Marsh to the Aussie line-up after missing the last encounter added to the excitement for the match, a shadow of disappointment also cast its pall over this clash with the unexpected absence of the Aussie star batter, Steve Smith.
Reason behind Steve Smith’s omission
The stage was perfectly set for both Australia and Afghanistan to battle against each other, with both eyeing a spot in the semi-finals. Cricket fans were also eagerly awaiting this high-stakes showdown. However, during the toss, a bombshell was dropped as Australia’s captain, Pat Cummins, revealed that Smith would not be playing in the crucial match. The 34-year-old cricketer was declared unfit due to an injury sustained during training. Smith even underwent a fitness test just before the game, which further confirmed that he was not in good shape to participate.
“We would have had a bat, but it’s fine. Two changes… Steve struggled in the warm-ups, and he’s going to miss out. Cam Green misses out as well, Maxwell and Marsh are in. Really happy with the way we’ve gone, five in a row. One of the most pleasing things is we’ve had 14 guys play so far, and everyone has played well. Long may that continue,” said Pat Cummins during the toss.
Also READ: Australia veteran Shane Watson predicts the two finalists of ODI World Cup 2023
The impact of Steve Smith’s absence
Smith is not just a key player but also the most reliable batter in the Australian line-up. His absence in such a crucial game could certainly have a significant impact on Australia’s performance. Smith’s ability to anchor the innings, build partnerships, and play match-winning innings has been invaluable to the team over the years. His absence leaves a noticeable void in the batting order, and it will be interesting to see how Australia copes without their star batter.
Playing XI of both teams
Australia: Travis Head, David Warner, Mitchell Marsh, Marnus Labuschagne, Josh Inglis (wk), Glenn Maxwell, Marcus Stoinis, Pat Cummins (c), Mitchell Starc, Adam Zampa, Josh Hazlewood
Afghanistan: Rahmanullah Gurbaz, Ibrahim Zadran, Rahmat Shah, Hashmatullah Shahidi (c), Azmatullah Omarzai, Mohammad Nabi, Ikram Alikhil (wk), Rashid Khan, Mujeeb Ur Rahman, Noor Ahmad, Naveen-ul-Haq
