Cricket

Australia, the reigning Test and ODI World Champions, embark on their quest to become the first team to hold all three major cricket titles simultaneously as they face Oman in their T20 World Cup opener. The Aussies boast a wealth of experience, with several veterans preparing for their international farewell.Despite their T20 trophy drought ending in 2021, Australia failed to progress beyond the group stage on home soil last year. However, they possess an abundance of match-winners, including newly-appointed skipper Mitchell Marsh, who will be crucial at No. 3. Travis Head, the star performer in the WTC and ODI World Cup finals, is also in red-hot form.Australia may experiment with their lineup during the group stage to find their optimal XI. Leg-spinner Adam Zampa and left-arm spinner Ashton Agar are expected to play key roles, while the pace attack will be led by the reliable trio of Mitchell Starc, Pat Cummins, and Josh Hazlewood.Oman, on the other hand, lost their opening game to Namibia. While their bowlers performed admirably, their batters need to step up to pull off an upset against the mighty Australians.In the day's other match, Pakistan, last edition's runners-up, face co-hosts USA. Despite being favorites on paper, Pakistan's recent form has raised concerns. They lost a T20I in Ireland and suffered a 0-2 defeat in England.Pakistan's preparations have been chaotic, with changes in captaincy, top-order shuffling, and players coming out of retirement. Babar Azam and Mohammad Rizwan are their most consistent performers, but their strike rate has been a concern.However, Pakistan is known for its unpredictability and can surprise or implode at any moment. They will rely heavily on their fiery pace department, featuring Shaheen Afridi, Naseem Shah, Haris Rauf, and Mohammad Amir.USA will be confident after their seven-wicket win over Canada in the tournament opener.The third match of the day pits Papua New Guinea against Uganda. PNG impressed against the West Indies, while Uganda suffered a heavy defeat to Afghanistan. PNG will fancy their chances, while Uganda will aim to improve their batting and fielding to register their first-ever T20 World Cup win.

Travis Head, the Australian batsman who played a pivotal role in his team's victory in the 2023 ODI World Cup final, is eagerly anticipating the possibility of another showdown with India in the upcoming T20 World Cup. Head's aggressive batting in last year's ODI World Cup final and the ICC World Test Championship final dashed India's hopes of an ICC title on home soil.India, led by Rohit Sharma, will begin their World Cup campaign against Ireland on Wednesday. The team boasts a star-studded lineup, including Virat Kohli, Rishabh Pant, Jasprit Bumrah, Suryakumar Yadav, Hardik Pandya, and Ravindra Jadeja, making them one of the favorites for the tournament.Head, who has expressed his excitement about watching "The Test," the Amazon sports documentary on the Australian men's cricket team's dominance, believes that Rohit Sharma will face pressure to lead India to an elusive ICC title. However, he also acknowledges that India has a strong team with a balanced batting and bowling lineup.If both India and Australia reach the final, they will face off again on June 29 at the Kensington Oval in Barbados. Head, who has been in impressive form in all formats of the game, is confident in his team's ability to perform well in the T20 World Cup.He credits the continuity and confidence within the Australian team for their aggressive brand of cricket. Head also praises Pat Cummins' leadership, describing him as a relaxed and approachable captain who fosters a positive dressing room environment.

Cameron Green, the Australian all-rounder, has expressed his eagerness to play in the T20 World Cup despite a staggered arrival in the Caribbean after the Indian Premier League (IPL). Green, who has endured extensive travel in 2023, said he is accustomed to the long journeys, having experienced a 38-hour flight to join the Australian squad.Green's journey to Barbados was relatively smooth compared to some of his teammates, with only one lost bag. He was given a few days at home in Perth after RCB's elimination from the IPL a week ago."Just one bag lost - my cricket bag but it came the next day. My trip was about 38 hours while Starcy's (Mitchell Starc) was about 60 hours. So overall happy," Green told reporters after Australia's training session on Monday.Green's comfort in living out of a suitcase helped him find his rhythm late in the IPL campaign. After early struggles, he played an important role with bat and ball for Royal Challengers Bengaluru (RCB).Green was dropped by RCB five games into the competition but regained his footing during the team's late charge into the playoffs. He increased his strike rate from 107.93 in his first five games to 170.21 in his last seven.While Green may not be in Australia's XI for the match against Oman on Thursday, he could potentially bat anywhere in the top eight if needed."That's the beauty of what I've been exposed to in the last few years. It's not always been a consistent spot that I've locked into. But at the same time, I'm also thankful for that. I feel like I can jump in at many different roles. I think that's where I see myself this tournament, maybe plugging holes in the team," he added.Green admitted to feeling a touch sore after spending more time on the net than any of his colleagues since joining the group. However, he believes his preparation couldn't have been better.Balancing Green's workloads across different formats has been a concern for Australian management, given his rapid rise as a sought-after player."Talking to the other guys, it's been quite ridiculous the amount of travel and the lack of days at home, compared to normal years. I think you weirdly get used to it, been doing it for two years now. This is the most prepared I've been for some sort of tour. I think you (often) go from a Test tour into a T20 or straight into a Test tour - it's pretty extreme. But that's the beauty of the IPL this year. You actually got some unbelievable practice leading into this. So a lot of the guys in our team are pretty confident and hopefully, we can start the tournament off well," Green said.The World Test Champion and ODI World Cup winner will kickstart its tournament against Oman on Wednesday.

Australia's captain, Mitchell Marsh, aims to gradually return to bowling towards the latter stages of the T20 World Cup, initially focusing on his batting role. Marsh is still recovering from a hamstring injury that sidelined him from the Indian Premier League earlier this year.In the warm-up matches against Namibia and West Indies, Marsh did not bowl, but he is optimistic about his progress. "I won't be bowling early in the tournament," Marsh stated. "I hope I won't bowl late in the tournament either, but I'll gradually work on it over the next 10-12 days and hopefully be available at the back end."Australia faced a shortage of players in the warm-up matches, with only nine out of their 15-member squad available. They even resorted to using substitutes from the coaching staff, including head coach Andrew McDonald, batting coach Brad Hodge, fielding coach Andre Borovec, and national selector George Bailey.Marsh confirmed that Pat Cummins, Mitchell Starc, Glenn Maxwell, Cameron Green, and Marcus Stoinis will soon join the squad, making all 15 players available for their opening match against Oman on June 5.Marsh emphasized the importance of family time for the players, especially after their involvement in the IPL playoffs. "We value family time," Marsh said. "The guys have been at the IPL, which is great preparation for the World Cup, but seeing their families and getting a good night's sleep is crucial."Regarding the warm-up matches, Marsh expressed satisfaction with the team's performance. "We got what we needed," he said. "Hodgey won't be available for selection, but for the guys who had time off, it was important to get some game time. We feel ready to go now."

The T20 World Cup is set to commence, and the anticipation is palpable. Several teams are vying for the coveted title, each boasting unique strengths and strategies.India:India, led by the formidable Rohit Sharma, is a formidable contender. Their squad boasts a harmonious blend of technical prowess, power-hitting capabilities, exceptional spinners, and the indomitable Jasprit Bumrah. This well-rounded team is equipped to excel in diverse conditions, making them a force to be reckoned with.Australia:Australia, brimming with confidence, has a proven track record of success. Their explosive batting lineup, anchored by the likes of Mitchell Starc, Josh Hazlewood, and Adam Zampa, is complemented by a formidable bowling attack. The absence of external pressure can further enhance their threat level.South Africa:Despite recent controversies, South Africa is quietly assembling a formidable limited-overs team. Inspired by Australia's template, they have assembled a squad of power-hitters and skilled bowlers. Heinrich Klaasen, David Miller, and Tristan Stubbs possess the destructive potential to dismantle any opposition.England:England, eager to redeem themselves after a disappointing ODI World Cup campaign, is determined to make amends. Led by the experienced Jos Buttler, they have a balanced squad featuring a blend of youth and experience. Their big-hitters and reliable white-ball bowlers are capable of delivering on the grandest stage. The return of Jofra Archer to peak form could elevate England to the status of a top contender.Dark Horse: West Indies:On paper, the West Indies may not appear as the most formidable team. However, home advantage and their inherent unpredictability make them a force to be reckoned with. With power hitters like Nicholas Pooran, Rovman Powell, Andre Russell, and Shimron Hetmyer in their ranks, they possess the firepower to challenge any opponent.

Mitchell Marsh, Australia's captain for the upcoming T20 World Cup 2024, has revealed that he will not be bowling in the initial stages of the tournament due to a hamstring injury. However, he remains hopeful of being able to contribute with the ball later on.Marsh, who missed the Indian Premier League (IPL) due to the injury, has had a slower recovery than anticipated. He did not bowl in Australia's warm-up matches against Namibia and West Indies."I won't be bowling early on in the tournament," Marsh said. "I hope I won't bowl late in the tournament either. But I'll progress that slowly over the next 10-12 days and hopefully be available for them at the back end of the tournament."Australia's preparations for the World Cup have been hampered by the late arrival of several players who were involved in the IPL playoffs. However, Marsh believes that the players' time with their families was important."We really value a bit of family time," he said. "The guys have obviously been at the IPL, which I think is great preparation for a World Cup. And then, yeah, just the value of seeing their families and getting them in their own bed for one or two nights is really important."Marsh also expressed excitement about the expanded format of the T20 World Cup, which now includes 20 teams."I think it certainly feels like a World Cup," he said. "I got presented a Ugandan playing shirt the other day in our team hotel and that was a really special moment. It's not just about the cricket throughout these World Cups, it's about opportunity and teams have earned the right to be here."However, Marsh declined to comment on whether there should have been a longer break between the end of the IPL and the start of the T20 World Cup."I don't really have an answer to that question and I don't make those decisions," he said. "As a group, we're here to win. Things may look a little bit disjointed at the beginning, but that's the nature of international cricket these days."

The T20 World Cup 2024 is set to kick off on Sunday with a match between USA and Canada. For India, the tournament begins on June 5 with a clash against Ireland. The highly anticipated match against Pakistan is scheduled for June 9.Ahead of the tournament, former players Harbhajan Singh, Irfan Pathan, and Misbah Ul Haq shared their insights on the event. Misbah Ul Haq named Australia and Pakistan as the top contenders for the title."Australia knows how to win. They come to Asia and win by playing with just one spinner. You can't write off Australia from any World Cup," said Misbah. "The second team is very difficult. We have to back Pakistan because we live in Pakistan. India's team is very strong, they have everything."Irfan Pathan believes that Hardik Pandya and Shivam Dube will play crucial roles for India in the tournament. "Hardik will have a set role to finish the game, and Shivam Dube will play as a floater, acting as an enforcer against the spinners," said Pathan.Pandya had a disappointing IPL season, but Pathan believes he will regain his form before the Super 8 stage. "The good thing about the Indian team now is that they will get a chance to be in form before the Super 8, as we will play teams who are not at the top level apart from Pakistan," said Pathan.Dube, on the other hand, had a strong IPL season, scoring 396 runs at a strike rate of 162.29. Pathan believes he will be a valuable asset in the knockout stages."Shivam Dube will play that kind of role," said Pathan. "He will play as an enforcer against the spinners in the playoffs."With a strong squad and a favorable schedule, India will be among the favorites to win the T20 World Cup 2024.

Australia's T20 World Cup campaign will begin without the bowling services of skipper Mitchell Marsh, who is still recovering from a hamstring injury. Head coach Andrew McDonald confirmed that Marsh will play solely as a batter in their opening match against Oman on June 6.Marsh has participated in Australia's two warm-up games against Namibia and the West Indies, but he has not bowled in either match. Matthew Wade has taken over captaincy duties in Marsh's absence."For Mitch, (the warm-up games) was about ticking off where his body was at," McDonald said. "He fielded more overs tonight (in the warm-up against West Indies), he was able to move more freely, so he's building a little bit of confidence there. It looks as though he's all set for the first game."Marsh played only four matches for Delhi Capitals in the IPL due to a hamstring niggle. He returned to Australia in late April to continue his rehabilitation."The second part is just when the bowling comes back online... it won't be the first game," McDonald said.Australia's warm-up match against the West Indies exposed the absence of several key players, including Pat Cummins, Glenn Maxwell, Mitchell Starc, Marcus Stoinis, Cameron Green, and Travis Head."It was by design, in terms of when we were getting people back after the IPL; we were well aware we weren't going to get the squad together until the first of next month," McDonald said."We've got some things in place where we'll bring the group together, we'll work through our plans leading into Oman and there's a bit of space between that game and (playing) England."Australia will face defending champions England in Barbados on June 9."We feel as though we have plenty of time to bring that group together. It's a familiar group, they've played a lot together. If they hadn't played a lot together then the prep might have looked different," McDonald added."We feel comfortable though as they know how to play with each other. It will just be finalising the XIs for the games, and the balances that we want. We've got plenty of options."

West Indies' blistering batting display, led by Nicholas Pooran and Rovman Powell, propelled them to a commanding 35-run victory over Australia in their final T20 World Cup 2024 warm-up match in Trinidad.Pooran, the left-handed opener, unleashed a whirlwind 75 off just 25 balls, smashing three sixes in his first three deliveries. Powell, the skipper, followed suit with a belligerent 52 off 25, as the duo combined for 12 sixes. Sherfane Rutherford's unbeaten 47 off 18 balls added to the carnage, propelling West Indies to a formidable 257 for 4.Australia, fielding a depleted team with only nine players and coaches as sub fielders, struggled to contain the West Indies onslaught. Ashton Agar and Adam Zampa, Australia's main spinners, were particularly punished, conceding 120 runs from their combined eight overs.In reply, Australia's Josh Inglis struck a valiant 55 off 30 balls, but the absence of a full complement of batters proved insurmountable. Nathan Ellis, who had impressed against Namibia, continued his strong form, conceding 42 from his four overs.Gudakesh Motie stifled Australia's middle order, claiming the wickets of Inglis and David to finish with 2 for 31. Ellis and Zampa added some respectability to the total with a 51-run seventh-wicket stand, but Australia fell well short of the target, finishing on 222 for 7.This victory serves as a timely confidence boost for West Indies ahead of the T20 World Cup 2024, while Australia will be eager to regroup and address their batting concerns before the tournament begins.