Australia have been given major boost as their star opener David Warner has been cleared to play his first official game for Australia in over a year after overcoming a glute strain ahead of their World Cup opener against Afghanistan on Saturday.
Captain Aaron Finch on Friday confirmed Warner had been cleared to play after passing a fitness test at training the previous day, meaning Australia’s 2015 World Cup-winning opening partnership will be reunited for the first game of their title defence.
But Finch says Australia are yet to settle on an XI for the first game, with Usman Khawaja and Shaun Marsh jostling for the No.3 spot.
They also haven’t made a call over the exact make-up of their bowling attack, with Finch indicating all their bowlers are in the mix.
Along with Warner, the match will also be Steve Smith’s first game back in Australian colours since last year’s Cape Town scandal.
The in-form right-hander looks set to fill out a middle order also featuring allrounders Marcus Stoinis and Glenn Maxwell.