Marsh-led Australia’s form almost spotless ahead of T20 WC opener; Maxwell, Warner struggle for runs

New Delhi [India], May 30 (ANI): The 2021 champions are looking in dangerous form ahead of the start of their ICC T20 World Cup campaign on June 5 against Oman, with several players performing at their peak, contributing to the series wins and very few negative points to talk about ahead of the tournament.

The ICC T20 World Cup will be played in the West Indies and the USA from June 1 to 29. Australia has been grouped in Group B along with arch-rivals England, Oman, Scotland and Namibia.

Australia has been largely great in their preparations for the competition following a group stage exit in 2022 at home, where they failed to defend their title. Let us look at Australia’s form, talking points and top players ahead of the tournament.

-Australia tour of South Africa (August to September 2023)

Organised just a few months ahead of the 50-over World Cup, the series gave a chance to Australia’s new T20I core and some serious grooming to Mitchell Marsh as a leader. Australia started off the series by setting a huge 227-run target to Proteas, after a fine 92* in 49 balls by Marsh.

Proteas was bundled out for just 115 runs in 15.3 overs. In the next two games, Australia comfortably chased down totals of 165 and 191 runs, with Marsh producing another hard-hitting knock of 79* in 39 balls in the second T20I and Travis Head scoring 91 in 48 balls to lead the chase in the final T20I.

-Australia tour of India (November-December)

This series is the only serious dent in Australia’s reputation as favourites for this tournament. In these five matches, Australia lost four and won one and was seriously out-batted by Team India in subcontinent conditions. Except for a scintillating 50-ball 110 by Josh Inglis in the first T20I and a 48-ball 104 by Glenn Maxwell while successfully chasing 223 runs in the third T20I, there is not much to write about Australia’s performance batting-wise. Bowling was also not very special, with youngsters/non-regulars like Ben Dwarshuis, Tanveer Sangha, Jason Behrendorff etc being given chances.

-West Indies tour of Australia (February 2024)

Australia played against a star-studded West Indies side, full of T20I specialists, inspired by Windies’ win over Australia in the second Test, which was their first Test win Down Under in 25 years. West Indies put up a fine fight, threatening to chase down 214 and 241 run totals in the first two T20Is. Maxwell’s 120* in 55 balls in the second T20I was a major highlight for Australia. West Indies won the final T20I, restricting Aussies to 183/5 in defence of 221 runs. The form of David Warner, who hit two fifties, Maxwell, Tim David as batters and Stoinis and Zampa with the ball was a huge positive.

-New Zealand tour of Australia (March 2024)

Contesting the prestigious Chappell-Hadlee trophy for the first time in T20Is, Australia clean-swept Kiwis by 3-0 with some comprehensive performances, except for a 10-over rain-hit affair in the final T20I.

Leading up to the tournament, Australia has played 14 T20Is, winning nine and losing five.

Talking points for Australia ahead of the tournament:

-Fine international form of Warner and Maxwell leading up to the tournament. However, they both had an extremely poor IPL, with Warner scoring 168 runs in eight matches and Maxwell getting a shockingly poor 52 in nine innings, with four ducks.

-Lack of T20I game time for the team’s feared pace trio of Pat Cummins (two matches), Mitchell Starc (two matches) and Josh Hazlewood (four matches) since the last T20 WC.

-The ferocious form of Travis Head in international cricket and the IPL and his tendency to fire in big matches.

-Finisher Tim David is in fine form and striking the ball really well.

-Skipper Mitchell Marsh is also in red-hot form and leading from the front with his batting.

Top performers for Australia in this phase:

-Mitchell Marsh: 346 runs in eight matches at an average of 69.20 and a strike rate of 170.44, with three half-centuries in eight innings. The best score of 92*.

-Tim David: 322 runs in 14 matches and 13 innings at an average of 46.00 and strike rate of 174.05, with a fifty. Best score of 64.

-Marcus Stoinis: 11 wickets in eight matches at an average of 16.00 and best figures of 3/18. 137 runs in six innings, with an average of 27.40 and a strike rate of 133. Best score of 45.

-Travis Head: 311 runs in nine matches at an average of 34.55 and strike rate of 166.31, with a fifty and best score of 91.

-Adam Zampa: 10 wickets in eight matches at an average of 30.10, with the best figures of 4/34.

Australia T20 WC squad: Mitchell Marsh (c), Ashton Agar, Pat Cummins, Tim David, Nathan Ellis, Cameron Green, Josh Hazlewood, Travis Head, Josh Inglis, Glenn Maxwell, Mitchell Starc, Marcus Stoinis, Matthew Wade, David Warner, Adam Zampa. Travelling Reserves: Jake Fraser-McGurk, Matt Short.