Explosive batter Jake Fraser-McGurk has been added to Australia's T20 World Cup squad as one of two reserve players following his dominant performances in the Indian Premier League (IPL).
Fraser-McGurk scored 330 runs in nine appearances for the Delhi Capitals, prompting a media campaign for his inclusion in the squad for next month's tournament in the United States and Caribbean.
Initially omitted from the 15-man squad announced three weeks ago, the 22-year-old from Melbourne was confirmed on Tuesday to join the team as a reserve player alongside all-rounder Matt Short.
"Matt and Jake made compelling cases for initial selection with their respective performances for Australia last summer and, in Jake’s case, more recently in the IPL," selectors' boss George Bailey said in a statement. "As the tournament proceeds, the short turnaround between fixtures makes it challenging to get players in at short notice in the event of injury. Matt provides the squad with an all-round skillset option, while Jake provides further batting cover."
The main squad, captained by all-rounder Mitchell Marsh, remains unchanged. Australia, having won the World Test Championship and one-day World Cup last year, will aim for their second T20 World Cup title and to become the first nation to hold all three of cricket's global trophies simultaneously.
