Matthew Short, who is a two-time Big Bash League (BBL) Player of the Tournament and captain of the Adelaide Strikers, has been in fine touch for his franchise
Matthew Short (Pic: ICC)
Ahead of the upcoming T20 World Cup 2026, all-rounder Matthew Short said that it will be tough to make the cut in Australia's squad for the marquee event.
Short, who is a two-time Big Bash League (BBL) Player of the Tournament and captain of the Adelaide Strikers, has been in fine touch for his franchise. So far, he has registered two half-centuries against Brisbane Heat and Melbourne Stars and picked up three wickets.
Speaking about his chances of making it to the Australian squad for the global showpiece, Short said that he is more mature and has played a lot of T20 cricket.
"I am a lot more mature (than 2024), I have played a lot more around the world, a lot more T20 cricket. But it is a bloody good Australian team. It is going to be hard to crack in, but I will have to wait and see," he stated.
So far in the ongoing BBL, the 30-year-old cricketer has scored 134 runs in three matches with an average of 44.66 and a strike rate of 145.65.
He was in the reserves during his side's previous campaign last year, when losses to India and Afghanistan prevented the Aussies, then 2023 50-over World Cup champions, from reaching the semifinals, as they exited in the Super Eight Stage.
He has made 21 T20I appearances for Australia and has garnered 382 runs, including a half-century. With the ball, he has also registered eight wickets to his name.
Ahead of the Indian Premier League (IPL) 2026 season, Short went to Chennai Super Kings (CSK) for Rs 15 crores. He previously played for Punjab Kings (PBKS) in the 2023 season, scoring 117 runs in six matches at an average of 19.50, with a strike rate over 127, and a best score of 36.
This year, in 21 T20s, he has made 736 runs at an average of 40.88 and a strike rate of 160, including a century and seven fifties in 20 innings, and has picked up 10 wickets.
In the T20 World Cup 2026, Australia are placed in Group B with Sri Lanka, Ireland, Oman, and Zimbabwe and will start off against Ireland on February 11 at Colombo.
(With ANI Inputs)
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