Allrounder Daniel Sams has been added to Australia’s T20 squad
Head, who played his previous T20I in 2018, was one of the players recalled to face Sri Lanka but it has been decided there is value in him having a first-class game before the Pakistan contests next month following his player-of-the-series returns in the Ashes. He will rejoin the T20 squad in Melbourne.
Sams was a travelling reserve for the T20 World Cup last year. He has previously played four T20Is and had a good BBL with Thunder where he was their leading wicket-taker with 19 at 24.57 and also hammered an astonishing 98 off 44 balls against Melbourne Renegades.
Steven Smith is part of the T20I squad to face Sri Lanka along with with Pat Cummins, Mitchell Starc and Josh Hazlewood but Nathan Lyon is expected to play for New South Wales against Queensland.
Queensland are most bolstered by international availability with Khawaja, Marnus Labuschagne, Michael Neser and Mitchell Swepson all available.
Western Australia will not be in Sheffield Shield action until next month due to border restrictions meaning Cameron Green and Mitchell Marsh – the latter who was rested from the Sri Lanka T20Is – won’t have any cricket before the Pakistan tour. It has already been confirmed that Jhye Richardson, who is part of the T20I squad, won’t take part in the Pakistan trip.