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Stoinis eyes bowling return on T20 WC eve

Rob ForsaithAAP
Marcus Stoinis is confident that he will able to bat and bowl for Australia at the T20 World Cup.
Camera IconMarcus Stoinis is confident that he will able to bat and bowl for Australia at the T20 World Cup. Credit: AP

Marcus Stoinis plans on proving his bowling fitness soon but feels confident about earning selection as a specialist batter at the Twenty20 World Cup, if necessary.

Stoinis, who opted out of Australia's T20 tours of the West Indies and Bangladesh, suffered an untimely hamstring injury in his Indian Premier League return.

The allrounder spent three weeks on the sidelines, returning as a batter in Delhi's season-ending loss to Kolkata in the finals.

Stoinis scored 28 during Australia's opening warm-up game for the World Cup, a three-wicket win over New Zealand in Abu Dhabi.

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The power hitter notably didn't bowl against Kane Williamson's side but is poised to come off the long run on Wednesday night, when Australia face India in their last World Cup tune-up.

"The hammy is good," Stoinis said.

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"It's tracking pretty well. It feels like it's on the right track and it's ready to go.

"I'll probably bowl in that next game."

There is scant time for the West Australian to prove he is fully fit, with Australia's World Cup campaign starting against South Africa on Saturday night.

Australia may nonetheless be tempted to pick Stoinis, who was widely expected to bat in the middle order throughout the tournament, on his power hitting alone.

"That's probably up to the selectors. I don't see why not," Stoinis said.

"But it's always handy to be fully fit and, if required, to bowl.

"That's the best option.

"Looking forward to getting out there and playing in a World Cup ... if we express ourselves with the team we've got then there's no reason why we can't win the whole thing."

Coach Justin Langer also stewed over Stoinis' fitness during the 2019 ODI World Cup because of a side strain.

Pat Cummins, Josh Hazlewood and Glenn Maxwell all sat out the trans-Tasman warm-up clash as Langer continues to mull his best XI for this weekend.

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