Key player withdraws from Champions Trophy as Australia name revamped squad. Mitchell Starc’s absence further weakens an Australian squad for Champions Trophy 2025 which is already struggling with injuries. Captain Pat Cummins (ankle), Josh Hazlewood (hip), and all-rounder Mitch Marsh (back) have been ruled out, while the unexpected retirement of Marcus Stoinis earlier this month added to the selection challenges. Australia squad for Champions Trophy 2025 Steve Smith (c), Sean Abbott, Alex Carey, Ben Dwarshuis, Nathan Ellis, Jake Fraser-McGurk, Aaron Hardie, Travis Head, Josh Inglis, Spencer Johnson, Marnus Labuschagne, Glenn Maxwell, Tanveer Sangha, Matthew Short, Adam Zampa. Travelling reserve: Cooper Connolly.

Marcus Stoinis has announced his immediate retirement from One-Day International (ODI) cricket, capping his games for Australia at 74. He will continue to be available for selection in T20Is. Stoinis’ ten-year ODI career began against England in 2015 at Old Trafford. He also played his first T20 International on that tour. He had to wait until the following year for his next opportunity to establish himself in Australia’s ODI team, scoring 146 not out against New Zealand at Eden Park and taking three wickets. Stoinis was part of Australia’s ODI World Cup title in 2023 and was voted the country’s ODI cricketer of the year in 2018-19. His decision to retire from ODI format is to focus on T20 cricket. Marcus Stoinis said: “Playing ODI cricket for Australia has been an incredible journey, and I’m grateful for every moment I’ve had in the green and gold. Representing my country at the highest level is something I’ll always cherish. “This wasn’t an easy decision, but I believe it’s the right time for me to step away from ODIs and fully focus on the next chapter of my career. I’ve got a fantastic relationship with Ron (Andrew McDonald) and I’ve hugely appreciated his support. “I’ll be cheering the boys on in Pakistan.” Australian men’s Head Coach Andrew McDonald said: “Stoin has been such a pivotal part of our ODI setup for the past decade. “Not only has he been an invaluable player but also an incredible person to have in the group. He is a natural leader, an exceptionally popular player and a great person. “He should be congratulated on his ODI career and all of his achievements.” Stoinis’ retirement from ODI cricket means he will be replaced in Australia’s squad for the ICC Champion’s Trophy. The National Selection Panel (NSP) will finalise the squad for the Champion’s Trophy following the conclusion of the Test series against Sri Lanka. Every match of the ICC Champions Trophy is live and exclusive on Prime Video from February 19.

The West Indies Cricket Board has announced the itinerary for the Australian men’s tour in June/July this year. The tour will comprise a three Test match series for the Frank Worrell Trophy including the first Test played between the teams in Grenada and five T20 Internationals. This will be Australia’s first Test tour of the West Indies since 2015 and the first three Test series between the nations since the West Indies tour of Australia in 2015-16. Test SeriesJune 25-29, First Test: Bridgetown, BarbadosJuly 3-7, Second Test: St George’s, GrenadaJuly 12-16, Third Test: Kingston, Jamaica. T20 International SeriesJuly 20: First T20: Kingston, JamaicaJuly 22: Second T20: Kingston, JamaicaJuly 25: Third T20: Basseterre, St KittsJuly 26: Fourth T20: Basseterre, St KittsJuly 28: Fifth T20: Basseterre, St Kitts Ben Oliver, CA Executive General Manager National Teams said: “Australia and the West Indies share a rich history, and we’re delighted the Test series has been expanded to three matches. “The series will start the next World Test Championship cycle and, as we saw last summer, we will have to be at our best to retain the Frank Worrell Trophy. “The additional T20 matches against a dynamic West Indies team will also provide a great opportunity to progress our preparation for the next T20 World Cup which is now only 12 months away.”

Annabel Sutherland and Travis Head claimed top honors at the Australian Cricket Awards, winning the Belinda Clark Award and Allan Border Medal, respectively. Sutherland, fresh off a century in the Ashes Test, excelled across all formats, scoring 798 runs and taking 34 wickets. She topped the voting with 168 points, ahead of Ashleigh Gardner (143) and Beth Mooney (115). Head’s stellar year saw him score 1427 runs, securing 208 votes, with Josh Hazlewood (158) and Pat Cummins (147) trailing. Gardner won Women’s ODI Player of the Year, Mooney took the T20I title, and Hazlewood claimed the Shane Warne Men’s Test Player award with 30 wickets at 13.17. Head was named Men’s ODI Player of the Year, while Adam Zampa won the T20 award with 35 wickets. Glenn Maxwell and Cooper Connolly shared the BBL Player of the Tournament, while Ellyse Perry and Jess Jonassen tied for the WBBL title. Cameron Green received the Community Impact Award for his work raising awareness of chronic kidney disease. Frankie Mountney, a young cricketer who wears cochlear implants, was named Woolworths Cricket Blaster of the Year. Michael Clarke, Christina Matthews, and Michael Bevan were inducted into the Australian Cricket Hall of Fame.

Melbourne-Muhammad Saad Abbasi Australian Government and Cricket Australia to celebrate the ’Summer of Cricket’ in Chennai on 25 May 2024 The Australian Government and Cricket Australia will begin the countdown to the blockbuster 2024-25 season with an event in Chennai on 25 May 2024. With only six months to go until the start of the Men’s Border-Gavaskar Trophy Series, the event will focus on the upcoming tours to Australia of the Indian men’s and women’s cricket teams. The evening will see leaders from across industry, business and government join a host of cricket greats to celebrate the Australia-India relationship. Highlighting the opportunities for Indian business leaders from the Australia India Summer of Cricket, Australian High Commissioner to India, Philip Green added, “The Border-Gavaskar trophy series promises to be the highlight of this summer’s cricket calendar. That’s why I’m encouraging Indian business leaders to travel to Australia to be there for the big games, develop new connections with Australian corporates, and experience all Australia has to offer.” The event will celebrate Australia and India’s long-running cricket ties and will highlight the opportunity to witness the greatest teams in cricket go head-to-head. CAIR and CA will also offer a tailored business program that will facilitate connections between Australian and Indian industry and government networks through a range of blockbuster events, conferences, gala functions and business matching programs held in conjunction with the series in Australia. Adam Gilchrist, former Australian Test captain, and CAIR Advisory Board Director, said “We have been delighted to design a Summer of Cricket program with Cricket Australia that will help cricket be a binding force for our two nations across community, business, entertainment and tourism. We can expect many not to be missed moments Downunder this Summer”. Nick Hockley, Cricket Australia Chief Executive Officer added, “Cricket has a unique ability to bring people together and with the support of the Australian Government through the Centre for Australia-India Relations, it is wonderful to meet and spend time with so many leaders across business and government at such an exciting time for the game and the bilateral relationship. It is also great to experience the enormous anticipation for the upcoming Border-Gavaskar Trophy and women’s ODI series this summer in Australia. We can’t wait to welcome all the hugely passionate and knowledgeable India fans to stadiums across Australia this blockbuster summer.” In partnership with Qantas, Penfolds and Star Sports, the official broadcaster of Australian Cricket in India, the night will showcase the best of Australian food and wine and will showcase the unique travel experiences and attractions available throughout the country this summer. Last week, Qantas announced it would increase flights from Bengaluru to Sydney to daily from December 2024 until March 2025, adding over 12,000 seats between the two cities over the four-month period to cater for the peak season demand. The event will also promote a range of premium travel packages and experiences available in and around the cricket, including those specifically offered by the Cricket Australia Travel Office before tickets go on sale on 14 June 2024.

Melbourne-Muhammad Saad Abbasi, Wasim Akram and Ravi Shastri among 54 named as Cricket Australia’s Multicultural Ambassadors for two years. Cricket Australia is proud to launch its Multicultural Ambassador Program, naming 54 people with diverse background and experience across government, business, sport, media and community as the as the inaugural representatives. Announced as a key action from the Australian Cricket Multicultural Action Plan, the Ambassador Program brings together esteemed leaders from various sectors to advocate for inclusivity and drive positive change within the sport and wider community. The list of ambassadors includes many past and current players, as well as industry and community leaders, who will champion diversity and support the goals outlined in the Multicultural Action Plan. Inaugural ambassadors include Usman Khawaja, Mel Jones, Wasim Akram, Ravi Shastri, Lisa Sthalekar, Kishwar Chowdhury, Alana King, Peter Varghese, Swati Dave and Fawad Ahmed. The full list of ambassadors can be found here:https://www.cricket.com.au/social-impact-and-sustainability/diversity-and-inclusion/multicultural/multicultural-ambassador-program? The ambassadors, hailing from government, business, community, media, and cricket will help drive the five focus areas of Australian Cricket’s Multicultural Action Plan: Participation, High Performance, People and Representation, Communications and Engagement and Event and Experience. Focusing on areas specific to their expertise the ambassadors will offer leadership, insight, and support to foster greater connectivity across the Australian cricket landscape. Cricket Australia CEO, Nick Hockley said: “We are thrilled to welcome such a dynamic and diverse group as Multicultural Ambassadors. Their collective leadership, expertise and passion will be instrumental in driving meaningful change and fostering a more inclusive cricketing community. “The Multicultural Ambassador Program represents Cricket Australia’s unwavering commitment to creating a sport that reflects contemporary Australian society and embraces individuals from all backgrounds. Through collaboration and collective action, the program aims to ensure that cricket remains a welcoming and inclusive sport for all. “Our objectives are clear: to create more opportunities for multicultural members of the community to engage with cricket, break down barriers, build trust, and drive progress across.” Australian player, Usman Khawaja said: “I am proud to sign on as one of Cricket Australia’s Multicultural Ambassadors, I see the sport as a bridge that connects communities and welcomes all, fostering understanding, respect, and unity. “As a sport we need to take the next step to ensure we get a greater and more equitable representation of the community as a whole by creating opportunities, celebrating our shared love for the game, and inspiring members of all backgrounds to get involved” Former Australian player and cricket commentator, Lisa Sthalekar said: “Being a Cricket Australia Multicultural Ambassador is an incredible honor. It’s a role that allows me to celebrate and promote the diversity that makes our sport so vibrant and inclusive. “Cricket has the power to unite people from all backgrounds, and I am committed to fostering an environment where everyone feels welcome and inspired to be a part of the game.” Engaged for an initial two-year period, the diverse lineup of ambassadors reflects a broad spectrum of cultural backgrounds, with representatives from Indian, Sri Lankan, Pakistani, Indigenous Australian, Bangladeshi, Nepali, and Afghani communities.Among the ambassadors are distinguished high-profile figures, influential business leaders and community champions. This diverse composition ensures a multifaceted approach to addressing the challenges and opportunities related to diversity and inclusion in cricket and society across all levels.