Last Updated on 4 months ago by Charbel Coorey
Mitch Marsh has found form ahead of the T20 World Cup, smashing 102 off 58 balls for Perth Scorchers against Hobart Hurricanes at Bellerive Oval. Marsh had endured a slow start to the 2025/26 Big Bash League (BBL) season with scores of 0, 3, 16 and 6 in the first four matches.
Marsh got off to a flyer, hitting 30 off his first 12 balls, including a six off the first ball of the match. He survived a dropped catch by Matthew Wade in the fourth over on 18, but he made the Hurricanes pay a big price.
Marsh then experienced a slow down in the middle overs – something to keep an eye on for the T20 World Cup in the subcontinent. His next 13 runs came off 21 balls. However, he took off in the 14th over, smashing 20 runs off four Mitch Owen deliveries to build on the momentum set by Aaron Hardie in the earlier Power Surge.
The opener brought up his century off 55 balls in the 18th over. He was brutal on anything the Hurricanes threw at him in the second half of the innings. This resulted in a number of full tosses delivered under pressure.
Marsh’s knock, which featured 11 fours and five sixes, is a timely confidence boost ahead of next month’s tournament.
Mitch Marsh smashes 102 off 58 balls on same day Australia T20 World Cup squad is announced
Marsh and Hardie combined for 164 off 84 balls in an incredible partnership. They smashed 149 off the final ten overs, with Hardie himself finishing unbeaten on 94 off just 43 balls.
Perth Scorchers’ 229/3 was their third 200+ total of the BBL 2025/26 season.
Earlier in the day, Australia named their preliminary 15-man squad for next month’s T20 World Cup. Marsh will lead a squad that features Cooper Connolly and other spin options in Glenn Maxwell, Matt Kuhnemann and Adam Zampa.
Also, Josh Hazlewood (achilles), Pat Cummins (back) and Tim David (back) have been included. But, they must prove their fitness in the coming weeks.
“The T20 side has enjoyed a long run of recent success, which enabled the panel to choose a balance of players across the variety of conditions Sri Lanka and India may present,” national selector George Bailey said, as quoted by ESPNcricinfo.
“Pat Cummins, Josh Hazlewood and Tim David are tracking well and we are confident they will be available for the World Cup. This is a preliminary squad so should changes need to be made they will ahead of the support period.”
