Leading Australian spinner Adam Zampa has Covid but is still available for selection for their Twenty20 World Cup match against Sri Lanka later on Tuesday in Perth, the hosts said.

All-rounder Mitchell Marsh said Monday that defending champions Australia were confident of bouncing back from their opening defeat at the T20 World Cup declaring: "Our best is the best in the world".

Australia have a golden opportunity to create history and become the first back-to-back Twenty20 world champions, but they face a formidable challenge led by India and England.

Australia's entire first-choice bowling attack will sit out the opening Twenty20 against England this weekend, selectors said Thursday, as they rotate the squad to ensure peak fitness for the World Cup.

Opener David Warner was among four big names who returned Wednesday to Australia's squad for a two-match Twenty20 series against the West Indies, with the World Cup on home soil next month.

Mohammed Shami's T20I cricket comeback will be delayed as the veteran pace bowler has tested positive for Covid-19 and will be out of the Australia series starting in Mohali from September 20.

Mitchell Starc and Adam Zampa collected three wickets apiece in Australia's eight-wicket demolition of Zimbabwe on Wednesday, giving the home side an unassailable 2-0 series lead from the second one-day international at Riverway Stadium in Townsville.

All-rounder Mitchell Marsh has been withdrawn from the squad for Australia's five remaining one-day internationals in Queensland over the next two weeks because of an ankle injury.

A maiden five-wicket haul by seamer Cameron Green on Sunday set Australia up for a five-wicket victory in the first one-day international against Zimbabwe in Townsville, which is hosting the first series between the sides Down Under since 2004.

Australia is planning on introducing vehicle fuel efficiency standards to boost electric car supply and cut down emissions.

Australia demolished India 7-0 in the men's hockey final on Monday to maintain their perfect record at the Commonwealth Games and end their gold medal hunt in style.

Australian swimmers have swept the podium, broken world records, set milestones and won a mountain of medals at the Commonwealth Games pool but all anyone wants to talk about is a supposed 'love triangle' with golden girl Emma McKeon at the centre.

Australia captain Meg Lanning is hoping the upcoming Commonwealth Games in Birmingham will provide a platform for cricket to eventually be played at the Olympics.

Sri Lanka's stunning victory over Australia in the second Test in Galle has had major ramifications on the race for next year's World Test Championship final.

Nick Kyrgios' bad boy image is in many ways a "stage persona", a way of protecting the "sweet, genuine, sensitive person" inside, the player's former manager and agent has told Australian media.

Australia's assistant coach Daniel Vettori on Sunday said Nathan Lyon's ability to combine spin with bounce makes him a lethal weapon on turning pitches -- and for years to come.

As yet another stage of religious tension arises in the subcontinent, it was heartening to see Australians warm up to the great Bengali film director Satyajit Ray.

The scenic beauty of the Caribbean islands hardly ever fails to catch the attention of any ardent cricket fan as they engrossingly move with the camera during any cricket match played there.

The last two places at the World Cup finals will be decided this week, with Australia, New Zealand, Peru and Costa Rica digging into their stamina reserves for do-or-die battles.

Australia will over the next decade host a bumper schedule of major international sporting events as part of a long-term plan to boost tourism, health and the economy while also enhancing its global image.