No Labuschagne in Australia's extended World Cup squad

MELBOURNE : Marnus Labuschagne's World Cup dreams are over after the batter was left out of Australia's extended 18-member squad for the showpiece tournament in India later this year.

Uncapped duo of leg-spinner Tanveer Sangha and all-rounder Aaron Hardie have been picked in the squad, which would later be trimmed to 15, Cricket Australia said in a statement on Monday.

A five-match series in South Africa in September will be the first assignment of the Pat Cummins-led side, the cricket board said.

Labuschagne has played 30 of Australia's 38 matches since his debut in early 2020 and was part of the team that won a three-match series in India in March this year.

Mitchell Marsh, Cameron Green, Marcus Stoinis and Sean Abbott are the frontline seam-bowling all-rounders, while Ashton Agar and Sangha join Adam Zampa as their spin options.

Skipper Cummins sustained a wrist injury during the recent Ashes series that will keep him out of the three-match T20 series in South Africa preceding the one-dayers.

"We view a period of enforced rest for Pat as a positive ahead of this important World Cup campaign," Australia's selection chair George Bailey said in a statement.

"There are still a number of games he could play before the World Cup which is more than enough for him to have a strong preparation."

In his absence, Marsh will lead Australia in the T20 series in South Africa.

All-rounder Glenn Maxwell will miss the ODIs in South Africa as he expects the arrival of his first child, and will join the team in India for a three-match ODI series in September.

Five-time champions Australia will begin their World Cup campaign with an Oct. 8 clash with hosts India in Chennai.

Australia ODI squad: Pat Cummins (captain), Sean Abbott, Ashton Agar, Alex