Mitch Marsh leaves Cricket World Cup, returns to Australia due to personal reasons

Star all-rounder Mitch Marsh left his Australian teammates with an important message after leaving the World Cup for personal reasons.

Mitch Marsh has told teammates that he will be back to help Australia win the World Cup after departing the Aussie camp suddenly to deal with a family issue.

Australia will have just 13 fit players to choose from for Saturday’s match against England after Marsh joined Glenn Maxwell in being unavailable for the clash in a golfing mishap that all-rounder Marcus Stoinis described as “boys being boys.”

Marsh left India late on Wednesday night with Cricket Australia not placing a timeline on his return. The Aussies, currently third on the table, have matches against Afghanistan next Tuesday and Bangladesh the following Saturday before a likely semi-final appearance.

With two key players unavailable for the date with struggling England, Stoinis is set to return from a calf niggle that has kept him sidelined for consecutive matches, while fellow all-rounder Cameron Green is also in the box seat to be included for what would be his third appearance of the campaign.

Mitch Marsh celebrates his century with David Warner earlier in the tournament. Picture: Sajjad Hussain.

Stoinis said Marsh had done the right thing by flying home but had indicated he would be back before the tournament was done.

“He’s flown home late last night. He’s got a family issue going on. And like we all know family is very important and the most important really,” Stoinis said on Thursday.

“So he’s doing the right thing and he’s getting home and he’s seeing the people he needs to see and then I don’t think there’s a timeline on when he’s coming back but I’m sure he’ll do what he needs to do at home and then get back.

“He sent a message last night saying ‘I’ll be home for a little bit then I’m coming back to win this World Cup’ so that speaks to his mindset.”

Maxwell was meanwhile ruled out of the England match after falling off the back of a golf cart following a team golf day on Monday. He has entered CA’s concussion protocols and could return as soon as the Afghanistan match.

Maxwell’s is the latest in a run of golfing injuries around the cricket world, with Australian gloveman Josh Inglis and England’s Jonny Bairstow both getting hurt last year. Maxwell had separately broken his leg 12 months ago in backyard incident at a party.

Stoinis said Maxwell was upbeat and that ultimately the Victorian had been unlucky.

“It’s unfortunate. It was one of those things. Unfortunately happened with boys being boys to an extent. But I didn’t see him fall off the cart. So I can’t really talk about that part, but I saw him yesterday. He’s in good spirits,” Stoinis said.

Asked if players needed to make better decisions, Stoinis accepted it was a fine line.

“Yeah, it’s hard. I mean, it’s like you need a mum on tour,” he joked.

“Does seem like there’s been a few accidents in the broader cricket community. But…we’re away from home for a long time and you’re doing things that you’re not really thinking there’s gonna be at risk of anyone hurting themselves. Where do you draw the line? You stop doing one thing then? I don’t know. But I do agree with you that there’s been a few little injuries throughout the cricket community.”

Stoinis meanwhile said he would be right to bowl his full allotment of 10 overs if needed against England, having overcome a calf injury picked up in the win over Pakistan.

“Yep. My plan is to just go go hard now. Go out there and then whatever happens happens really.”

Originally published as Mitch Marsh leaves Cricket World Cup, returns to Australia due to personal reasons