Australian World Twenty20 squad member Xavier Doherty has returned home to Hobart to be with his partner Emma for the birth of their first child.

Doherty, who has been left out of the side for Australia’s past two Twenty20 Internationals plus their warm-up games against New Zealand and England, is expected to return to the squad on Thursday.

Australia’s opening Group B clash against Ireland is on Wednesday, although Doherty was unlikely to be picked in the side ahead of the squad’s other specialist spinner Brad Hogg.