New Delhi, Jan. 2 -- Australian selectors have named a spin-heavy squad for the defending champions for the forthcoming Twenty20 World Cup in Sri Lanka and India.

The 2021 tournament winners decided Thursday not to pick a left-arm paceman in the absence of the T20-retired Mitchell Starc. Cooper Connolly, who has not played in any of the Australians' past 12 T20 Internationals, was the surprise inclusion.

Starc has missed just one of the past six ICC's T20 events but retired from the format at the international level late last year.

Australia opens the tournament on Feb. 11 against Ireland in Colombo then plays Zimbabwe in Colombo on Feb. 13, followed by matches in Kandy against Sri Lanka on Feb. 16 and Oman on Feb. 20.

A scan on Pat C...