Embattled opener Matthew Hayden was today left out of Australia's 13-man squad for the upcoming Twenty20 International and Commonwealth Bank ODI Series against South Africa even as speculation continues on his Test future.
Embattled opener Matthew Hayden was today left out of Australia's 13-man squad for the upcoming Twenty20 International and Commonwealth Bank ODI Series against South Africa even as speculation continues on his Test future.
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National Selection Panel Chairman Andrew Hilditch made it clear the teams were chosen with an eye on the Twenty20 World Cup later this year and 2011 ODI World Cup while hinting he could not see Hayden playing a role in the two major events.
"The announcement of these squads for the KFC Twenty20 Internationals and the Commonwealth Bank Series is a clear indication we are now in full-scale planning for the 2009 ICC World Twenty20 and the 2011 ICC World Cup," Hilditch said.
"Winning a fourth consecutive ICC World Cup and our first ICC Twenty20 title is an ambitious project. For this reason there will be very few players selected from this point that we cannot see playing a role in achieving this goal," he said.
Hilditch, however, said it was not an end of the road for the 37-year-old Hayden and he might tour South Africa. "The omission of Matthew Hayden from the KFC Twenty20 and Commonwealth Bank Series squads is not a reflection on his performances in the recent Test series but rather a strategic decision made by the national selection panel as we plan for these signature events," he said.
"His possible selection for the upcoming tour of South Africa will be discussed as with all players when we select a squad after the round of interstate matches at the beginning of February," he said in a statement. Australia will meet South Africa in Twenty20 clashes in Melbourne on Sunday and in Brisbane on January 13 while the five-match Commonwealth Bank Series will begin on January 16 at the MCG.
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