Australia's T20 Hurdles: Injuries Strike as World Cup Campaign Kicks Off

Australia's T20 World Cup campaign is off to a rocky start as captain Mitchell Marsh will miss the opening match against Ireland due to a groin injury, Cricket Australia has confirmed.

Steve Smith is set to join the squad in Sri Lanka for the game, while Travis Head takes on the captaincy at Colombo's R Premadasa Stadium. Marsh's injury, described as internal testicular bleeding, has confined him to rest and rehabilitation. Meanwhile, batsman Matthew Renshaw is called up to fill the gap.

In further blows to the team, star players Pat Cummins and Tim David are also out due to injuries. Australia, previously champions in 2021, will hope for a better outcome against Zimbabwe in their second fixture.