McDermott replaces Short in Australia’s squad for final ODI against WI

CANBERRA: Right-handed batter Ben McDermott has been called into Australia’s squad for the final ODI match against the West Indies after Matthew Short was ruled out of due to a low-grade hamstring injury.

Short suffered the hamstring injury during Australia’s series-clinching win over the West Indies at the SCG on Sunday. He made 41 off 55 balls with the bat after coming in to bat at number six. But he didn’t come out to field after due to the injury suffered while batting.

McDermott made 146 not out for Queensland in an ongoing Sheffield Shield match against Tasmania on Saturday. He’s now pulled out of the match to link up with the Australia ODI squad in Canberra on Monday, with the game to be played at the Manuka Oval on Tuesday.

Since making his international debut in 2018, McDermott has played 25 T20Is and six ODIs for Australia. His last ODI match for Australia came on the tour of Pakistan in March-April 2022, where he scored his only hundred in the format in Lahore.

It remains to be seen if Short will be fit for Australia’s upcoming T20I matches against the West Indies set to be held on February 9, 11 and 13 respectively. Short earned his spot in Australia’s white-ball set-up after being named Player of the Tournament in the Big Bash League (BBL) for scoring 541 runs in the competition.

Australia ODI squad for third game: Steve Smith (captain), Sean Abbott, Xavier Bartlett, Jake Fraser-McGurk, Cameron Green, Aaron Hardie, Josh Hazlewood (vice-captain), Josh Inglis, Marnus Labuschagne, Lance Morris, Ben McDermott, Will Sutherland, Adam Zampa