Injured Mitchell Marsh to miss opening ODI; Inglis tests positive for Covid

Australia’s already drained white-ball squad suffered two more blows when Mitchell Marsh was ruled out of the opening ODI with a hip flexor injury and wicketkeeper-batter Josh Inglis tested positive for Covid on Monday. Australia are positive that Marsh will comeback to play later in the series, and Inglis will isolate for five days before returning to the squad, which will make him miss the second ODI as well.

All other members of the squad returned negative results following routine daily testing. Australia has flown in Queensland batter Matt Renshaw as cover and will join the group after completing three days of isolation in Lahore. Renshaw has played 11 Tests for Australia, the last of which was in 2018, but has yet to play an ODI or T20I.

“Scans confirmed the injury was a low-grade hip flexor strain. Marsh will be managed clinically with a view to potentially returning to play later in the series,” a Cricket Australia statement said later on Monday.