'He hasn't played a heap of T20 cricket in the last little bit' - Matthew Wade skeptical on Steve Smith making it to the T20 WC squad

Australia has just won a T20I series against New Zealand by a resounding margin of 3-0 . The visitors also registered their 100th T20I win with a 27-run victory via the DLS method over the Kiwis in a severely rain-marred game. However, now the focus shifts towards the upcoming ICC T20 World Cup which is set to begin in June, hosted jointly by the West Indies and the USA.

After securing a series whitewash, veteran wicketkeeper-batter Matthew Wade shared his concerns about the impending selection of the 15-man squad for the upcoming T20 World Cup. With established names like David Warner and Travis Head sealing their places in the top-order, and power hitters such as Mitchell Marsh and Glenn Maxwell in great form, securing a spot would be a tough challenge given the cut-throat competition.

Wade also emphasized the significance of players with an X-factor, spotlighting Head's capability to promptly change the momentum of a game, prominently demonstrated in his performances during the 50-over World Cup which took place in 2023.

"Heady's got the X-factor, you saw in the 50-over World Cup, he can turn games so quickly and we're excited to have him at the top of the order along with Davey (Warner) who's going to be there. And then we can load up with Stoinis and David and Maxwell, and all these guys with extreme power," Wade said as quoted by ICC.

Going to be tough to squeeze in that 15: Matthew Wade

Wade voiced apprehension regarding the inclusion of Steve Smith due to the immense competition for spots. Acknowledging Smith's limited recent appearances in T20 cricket for Australia, Wade admitted uncertainty regarding Smith's chances of making it through the squad.

"Obviously, Smithy hasn't played a heap of T20 cricket in the last little bit for Australia, and there will be chats around those final few positions in the 15. Fingers crossed he makes it, but there's always going to be someone that's unlucky and I'm not sure who that's going to be this time," Wade said.

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The final match of the New Zealand series saw standout performances from players like Matthew Short, Spencer Johnson, and Nathan Ellis, adding depth to Australia's roster and complicating the selection process further. As the squad announcement is just around the corner, Wade empathized with the selectors, acknowledging the difficulty of their task.

"It's going to be tough to squeeze in that 15, whoever you are. It's going to be tight for those last few spots, I don't envy George's (chief selector George Bailey) position," the cricketer said.

"I wouldn't want to be picking the 15, there's going to be a couple of unlucky players. But as I said, there's always injury around, guys that are outside the 15 may get opportunities as well so we're happy we've got so much depth," he concluded.