Tim David named in Australia ICC T20 World Cup squad

Melbourne [Australia], September 1 : Global T20 star Tim David has earned a call-up to the Australian side for the upcoming tour to India and the ICC T20 World Cup 2022 on the back of his hard-hitting performances in leagues across the world.
The 15-member Australian squad for the tour of India for a three-match T20I series from September 20-26 and the ICC T20 World Cup was announced on Thursday. David's selection over leg-spinner Mitchell Swepson is the only change made in the side that brought the trophy home in the 2021 edition.
David was born to Australian parents in Singapore and he moved to Perth as a two-year-old kid. He has represented Singapore in 14 matches and has scored 558 runs at an average of 46.50 with four half-centuries. Under ICC rules, he is completely eligible to wear Aussie colours immediately.
This explosive batter has the backing of Australian great Ricky Ponting, who has described him as "an out and out match winner".
"He's the sort of player that could actually win you a World Cup. He is not just the average run-of-the-mill guy that might just sneak into a squad ... he actually reminds me a bit of someone like an Andrew Symonds back in the 2003 World Cup. You know if you get them in and you give him an opportunity, they are a chance of winning a tournament for you." Cricket.com.au quoted Ponting as saying of the 26-year-old recently.
"That is how I would be looking at him right now. I know there are some other great world-quality players in the middle order for Australia, but probably none of them boasts the resume as good as Tim's over the last two years," he added.
During the last two years, David has scored 1,874 runs in 86 T20 matches at a stunning strike rate of 168.40. He averages a boundary every 4.5 balls and his strike rate goes upto an impressive 204.80 during overs 16-20.
He was purchased by Mumbai Indians for a massive A$ 1.53 million back in February. In the season, his strike rate of 216.28 was the highest by any player to have faced at least fifty balls in a single season.
He entered IPL on back of his performances in the Pakistan Super League, where he hit 278 runs at an impressive SR of 194.41. He was initially sounded off by Aussie selectors for the home T20 series against Sri Lanka.
The 26-year-old fared amazingly in the T20 Blast competition in England after a breakout IPL season. He scored 405 runs at an impressive strike rate of 174.57.
He can also bowl some off-break spin occasionally, having taken 12 wickets in 121 T20 matches.
He also played one game for Tasmania in the 2021-22 Marsh One Day Cup against Western Australia, in which he smashed 36 off 23 balls and took 2/25.
David is yet to make his first-class debut and has featured in 16 List A matches, most of them with Surrey, for who hit two centuries and averaged 68 with a strike rate of 150.44.
He adds an X-factor to an already balanced Australian team.
"This is a similar squad to that which became the first Australian's men's team to win a T20 World Cup, who are now very excited about playing the tournament at home. Mitchell Swepson was unlucky to miss out based on conditions in the UAE at the last World Cup where we planned for tired, spinning wickets compared to what we would expect are good batting conditions along with the larger grounds in Australia," Chairman of Selectors George Bailey said in a statement.
"Tim (David) continues to establish himself with some quality performances in leagues around the world, earning a place in the squad. He is a highly gifted, natural ball striker who will add extra batting depth to the group which has had a lot of success in T20 cricket in recent times. We expect him to play a similar role to that he has been playing in the past few years," he added.
David started his career with Perth Scorchers in Big Bash League but his move to Hobart Hurricanes in BBL 10 was when he started to make a name for himself, scoring an impressive 33-ball 58 on debut against reigning champs Sydney Sixers.
All-rounder Mitchell Marsh retains his place in the squad despite returning to Perth with ankle soreness on Tuesday after Aussies win over Zimbabwe in the first ODI.
Australia's T20 World Cup campaign begins on October 22 in Sydney with a trans-Tasman clash against New Zealand.
Australia's T20 World Cup squad: Ashton Agar, Pat Cummins (vc), Tim David, Aaron Finch (c), Josh Hazlewood, Josh Inglis, Mitchell Marsh, Glenn Maxwell, Kane Richardson, Steve Smith, Mitchell Starc, Marcus Stoinis, Matthew Wade, David Warner*, Adam Zampa. * Squad will also travel to India for three T20Is, September 20-26, except Warner will be replaced by Cameron Green.