Shayan Ahmad Khan, Jarrod Kimber
Australia are gunning for a unique feat in the T20 World Cup 2024. They could be triple world champions if they win the trophy, with the most recent editions of the ODI World Cup (2023) and the World Test Championship (2021-23) already conquered.
They’ve picked a squad that has all the tools to do the job, with explosive batting, plenty of allrounders and bowlers who have been there, and done that. However, there are also a couple of notable exclusions in Jake Fraser-McGurk and Steven Smith. Chief selector George Bailey said there was simply not enough room for Smith in a squad of 15.
“I think his best T20 work of late has come at the top of the order, and at the moment, we see that top order being really settled,” Bailey said.
Fraser-McGurk’s case was even more compelling. As of May 12, he has scored 330 runs in eight innings at a strike rate of 237 in IPL 2024. But the 22-year-old was at peace with his exclusion.
“If I do somehow get a travelling reserve [spot] then great, I can get a good experience there. It didn’t really bother me a hell of a lot because I wasn’t in this position to sort of feel like I’ve earned that yet. World Cup cricket is a lot different to IPL and franchise cricket,” said Fraser-McGurk on the Willow Talk podcast.
Travis Head and David Warner are expected to open the batting, followed by skipper Mitchell Marsh at three. Head is in excellent form, having scored 533 runs in 11 innings at a strike rate of 201.89 in this IPL.
Warner was in good nick in four T20Is he played in February 2024, but he missed five games in the ongoing IPL due to a hand injury. He hasn’t been in the best form for Delhi Capitals either side of that – scoring only 168 runs in eight innings at a strike rate of below 136.
Marsh had played only four matches for Delhi before he was ruled out for the remainder of the season due to a right hamstring strain. He is expected to be fit to bowl at the start of the T20 World Cup though, according to coach Andrew McDonald.
Glenn Maxwell will have the crucial role of taking on the spinners in the middle overs, as well as finishing games. He has been miserably out of form in the ongoing IPL, but he remains a significant match-winner ion his day. His record for Australia since the last T20 World Cup is exceptional — 309 runs in eight innings at an average of 51.50 and a strike rate of 196.81.
Australia have two wicketkeepers in Matthew Wade and Josh Inglis. Wade was a key figure in their T20 World Cup win in 2021, especially in the semi-final. Since the last T20 World Cup in 2022, they’ve split games between keepers evenly, with Inglis getting 12 and Wade 10. With a packed top-order, Australia will be looking at who suits the finisher’s role, and Wade is likely a better fit there.
Marcus Stoinis and Tim David should round out the rest of the top order.
Among the bowlers, Australia have readymade, and tested, new-ball options in Mitchell Starc and Josh Hazlewood. Pat Cummins has shown during the IPL that he can be a middle-overs enforcer. They also have Maxwell’s off-spin as a match-up option, who can even bowl while the field restrictions are on.
Adam Zampa should be a lock-in as the spinner. Australia’s one concern could be that Starc has had a below-par IPL so far. The mitigating factors are that this has been the highest-scoring IPL season by far, and Starc’s experience cannot be discounted on the big stage.
A probable XI for Australia could then be: Warner, Head, Marsh, Maxwell, Stoinis, David, Wade, Cummins, Starc, Hazlewood, Zampa.
If Starc’s lack of form persists, there is back-up in Nathan Ellis.
If Australia want to go heavier on spin, they always have the option of bringing in Ashton Agar instead of Starc. While Starc is a useful lower-order batter, Agar would give them more with the bat. A spin attack led by Zampa and Agar, with the part-time spin of Maxwell and Head to back it up would be pretty handy if the surface assists slower bowlers.
These combinations don’t even include Cameron Green, who can bat anywhere and adds a seam bowling option. Green is a natural back-up to any of the batters, but he could play alongside them too, if Australia want to go with a stacked batting unit. That would mean going in with just three frontline bowlers, but of all teams, Australia might be able to pull that off because so many of their top-order bats can bowl.
Then they would have an XI of: Warner, Head, Marsh, Maxwell, Stoinis, Green, David, Wade, Cummins, Hazlewood, Zampa. It makes for an extremely deep batting line-up, but also means at least eight overs will have to be bowled by the allrounders.
It’s viable, but so are Australia’s other potential XIs. As ever, they have most bases covered.
