Cricket

Australia's Josh Hazlewood has hinted that his team may consider manipulating the margin of victory in their upcoming match against Scotland to potentially eliminate England from the 2024 T20 World Cup.With England's fate hanging in the balance after their defeat to Ireland, Australia could potentially win their final group match by a narrow enough margin to ensure Scotland qualifies for the Super Eights at England's expense.Hazlewood acknowledged that such a scenario would be in Australia's best interests, as England has been a formidable opponent in T20 cricket. "If we can get them out of the tournament, that's in our best interest as well as probably everyone else," he said.The possibility of Australia manipulating the result has drawn comparisons to the 1999 ODI World Cup, when Australia engaged in a go-slow batting performance against West Indies to secure extra points for the Super Sixes.Hazlewood suggested that Australia could employ similar tactics, such as "knocking it around and dragging it out" to control the pace of the match. However, he emphasized that the team's primary focus would be on winning well rather than solely on eliminating England.The absence of run-rates carrying forward to the Super Eights means that Australia would not be penalized for taking their foot off the gas. Hazlewood expressed surprise at this rule, stating that it devalues the performances in the group stage.Meanwhile, Namibia captain Gerhard Erasmus remained diplomatic about the potential implications of their match against England. While acknowledging that an upset could eliminate England, he emphasized that Namibia's focus was on playing to their best abilities.

Australia's victory over England in the T20 World Cup 2024 has put the defending champions in a precarious position. With just one point from their first two games, England faces an uphill battle to qualify for the Super Eights.Australia, on the other hand, can secure their spot in the next round with a win over Namibia on Tuesday. Coach Andrew McDonald has hinted that his team may rest players in their final group-stage match against Scotland if they qualify early.This move could have significant implications for England's chances. Scotland, who have already beaten Oman and Namibia, have the advantage of playing the final group game. They could potentially set a target for Australia that would allow them to qualify for the Super Eights while keeping their NRR ahead of England's.McDonald, however, insists that Australia is focused on their own game and not on England's situation. He believes that NRR is the best possible tie-breaker, but he expressed frustration that Australia's record will be wiped clean in the second league phase.The possibility of teams manipulating results to qualify for the Super Eights has raised questions about whether cricket should adopt a system similar to football's World Cups, where teams in the same group play the final round of fixtures simultaneously. McDonald acknowledged that such a system could be beneficial but also noted that it would require a rolling schedule.Australia's management is also mindful of player workloads as they could play five times in 10 days if they reach the final. McDonald emphasized that they will field a strong XI against Namibia but hinted that they may rotate players in the Super Eights to ensure their readiness for the challenges ahead.

England's T20 World Cup 2024 hopes hang in the balance after a crushing defeat to Australia. Moeen Ali, England's vice-captain, has urged his team to "throw the first punch" and be "ruthless" in their remaining two Group B games.England's loss to Australia leaves them fourth in the group, with all teams having played twice. They have only one point from their washed-out opener against Scotland, and now face the daunting task of needing to win their remaining matches against Oman and Namibia by significant margins to qualify for the Super 8s.Moeen emphasized the importance of net run rate, stating that England will need to win their next two games by large margins to improve their chances of qualifying. He believes that England has the team to do it, but they need to be aggressive and ruthless in their approach.Moeen drew on England's experience at the previous T20 World Cup, where they suffered a shock defeat to Ireland but went on to win four games in a row to lift the trophy. He believes that England can take experience from that situation and use it to their advantage.England's captain, Jos Buttler, has been reluctant to talk about the ODI World Cup, where England crashed out in the round-robin stage. However, this week could be a make-or-break moment for his captaincy.Moeen believes that England can still do well in this World Cup, despite their setbacks. He urged his team to stay calm, not let outside noise affect them, and take an aggressive approach in their remaining games.

Australia's dominant performance in Barbados has left defending champions England facing an uphill battle to qualify for the Super 8s of the T20 World Cup. The Aussies posted a formidable 201 for 7, the highest score of the tournament so far, thanks to a blistering start from David Warner and Travis Head.Warner, who is likely playing against England for the last time in international cricket, top-scored with 39, while Head contributed 34. Mitchell Marsh (35) and Marcus Stoinis (30) also made valuable contributions.England's chase got off to a promising start, with Jos Buttler and Phil Salt putting on 73 runs for the first wicket. However, Adam Zampa's introduction turned the game on its head. The leg-spinner dismissed both openers within his first 11 balls, and England's middle order failed to adjust to the dry pitch, managing only 92 runs in the following 13 overs.The dimensions of Kensington Oval played a significant role in Australia's innings. One square boundary was nine meters shorter than the other, and the Aussies exploited it ruthlessly. Will Jacks conceded three sixes in his first four balls, all over the shorter leg-side boundary.England's defeat leaves them with one point from their first two matches. They face an anxious week ahead, needing to beat both Oman and Namibia to have a chance of qualifying for the second round. Even then, they may have to rely on net run rate to progress ahead of Scotland.

Ravichandran Ashwin, India's seasoned spinner, has predicted the four teams he believes will advance to the semi-finals of the ongoing T20 World Cup in the UAE and West Indies. Notably, Pakistan, the 2009 champions and last season's runners-up, were not included in Ashwin's selections.Ashwin expressed his support for England, Australia, West Indies, and India to reach the semi-finals of the T20 extravaganza. He revealed his picks through a humorous video on social media that has gone viral.Pakistan has had their worst start in T20 World Cup history, losing their tournament opener to the United States in Dallas on June 6. The match's outcome was determined in a Super Over after both teams finished with tied scores after 40 overs.Babar Azam scored 44 off 43 as Pakistan posted 159 for 7 after being invited to bat first. Pakistan was 26 for 3 in 4.4 overs before Babar and Shadab Khan rescued the team with a 72-run partnership. Shaheen Afridi's unbeaten 23 off 16 also played a crucial role in Pakistan's competitive total. Nosthush Kenjige was the standout bowler, taking 3 for 30 in four overs.Chasing 160, the USA finished on 159 for 3 in their allotted 20 overs. With the hosts needing 5 runs to win off the final ball, Nitish Kumar hit Haris Rauf for a four to force a Super Over.The USA set Pakistan a target of 19 runs in the Super Over, but Pakistan could only manage 13 in response.

Mitchell Starc Declared Fit for Australia's Clash with England in T20 World CupDespite concerns over an injury scare, Australia's captain Mitchell Marsh has confirmed that star bowler Mitchell Starc will be available for their upcoming match against England in Barbados.During Australia's opening match against Oman, Starc was forced to leave the field after bowling just one delivery in the 15th over. The left-arm pacer appeared to be in discomfort, prompting physios to attend to him on the field.However, Marsh has since revealed that Starc's injury was merely a case of cramps and that he will be ready to play in the crucial match against England."Starc is all good. Just a bit of cramp from the other night. So, as I said, there was no unnecessary risk taken and he's fit," Marsh said in a pre-match press conference.The availability of Starc is a major boost for Australia, who will be looking to bounce back from their disappointing defeat to New Zealand in their opening match. Starc's pace and experience will be invaluable against a strong England batting lineup.Marsh also highlighted the versatility of Australia's 15-man squad, which allows them to adapt to different conditions and select the best team for each match."Yeah, I think with the 15 we've got, we've got a lot of options with our team that we can pick and it will just be conditions-based and we're certainly not set on anything, just we want to pick the right team for winning a certain match and then go from there," he added.England possesses a formidable bowling attack, led by the likes of Mark Wood, Jofra Archer, and Chris Jordan. However, Marsh is confident that Australia can counter their threat with their own pace attack, which includes Starc, Josh Hazlewood, and Pat Cummins."Well, they bowl 150 k's an hour, so that's always a threat. Yeah, they're two quality bowlers and yeah, looking forward to that challenge," Marsh said.Australia will be hoping to secure a victory against England to keep their hopes of reaching the semi-finals alive. With Starc back in the lineup, they will be confident of putting up a strong performance and challenging for the title.

Jonny Bairstow's controversial stumping at Lord's last summer has been revisited in the latest series of Australia's documentary "The Test." The incident, which occurred during England's final-day run-chase, sparked fury among MCC members and set the tone for a thrilling Ashes series.Bairstow, however, insists that the incident had a galvanizing effect on England. "I think that post that event, the way in which we as a side reacted to that was a real positive," he said. "You look at the results after that thing that happened at Lord's and I actually think that we finished that series a lot stronger than Australia did."Mitchell Marsh, Australia's T20 captain, acknowledged that the atmosphere at England's grounds that summer was febrile. "I dare say this will be full and it'll be mostly English fans, so it'll be like playing at Headingley all over," he said.The stakes for England in particular have been ramped up this week, following their wash-out against Scotland. However, Bairstow is not getting the permutations in Group B get the better of him. "It doesn't derail us either way. We know we've got to win more games than we lose in tournament cricket," he said.England versus Australia is always a great occasion. Two very good teams going toe-to-toe. It's going to be an exciting spectacle. "Hopefully it will be a fantastic atmosphere like it always is in Barbados and the best side will come out on top."

The highly anticipated clash between defending champions England and the formidable Australian team at the T20 World Cup promises to be a thrilling encounter. The match, a rematch of the 2010 World T20 final, carries significant historical weight and has the potential to shape the tournament's outcome.England, under the leadership of Jos Buttler, aims to become the first team to retain the trophy. However, they face pressure after a rain-affected draw against Scotland in their opener. A loss to Australia could jeopardize their Super 8 prospects.Australia, led by Mitchell Marsh, seeks to add to England's woes. They have a strong head-to-head record in T20s, having won six of the last seven completed encounters. Despite a batting wobble against Oman, the experience of David Warner and Marcus Stoinis proved crucial.The match will be played on a new surface at Kensington Oval, which has produced varying results for batting. The conditions may favor teams that adapt quickly to the pitch.Key players to watch include Glenn Maxwell, who has struggled for form recently, and Jos Buttler, who needs a strong performance to silence critics.Australia's probable XI: David Warner, Travis Head, Mitchell Marsh (capt), Glenn Maxwell, Marcus Stoinis, Josh Inglis (wk), Tim David, Pat Cummins, Nathan Ellis/Mitchell Starc, Adam Zampa, Josh HazlewoodEngland's probable XI: Phil Salt, Jos Buttler (capt & wk), Will Jacks, Jonny Bairstow, Harry Brook, Liam Livingstone, Moeen Ali, Chris Jordan, Jofra Archer, Adil Rashid, Reece Topley/Mark WoodEngland holds a slight edge in the overall T20I head-to-head with Australia, but Australia has won the last two T20 World Cup encounters.

Defending champions England will face a stern test against arch-rivals Australia in a crucial Group B match of the T20 World Cup on June 8 in Bridgetown. England's opening game against Scotland was washed out, leaving them with a point. However, their bowling performance against the Scots raised concerns, as Scottish openers George Munsey and Michael Jones scored freely against all England bowlers.Australia, on the other hand, showcased their firepower in their tournament opener against Oman, with David Warner and Marcus Stoinis leading the charge. England's bowling attack will need to be at their best to contain the Australian batting lineup. Jofra Archer, who gave away 12 runs in two overs against Scotland, will be under the spotlight as he continues his comeback trail.England's batters, led by skipper Jos Buttler, will also need to fire against the Aussie attack. Buttler had a successful run in the IPL 2024, and his form will be crucial for England's chances. The Australian bowlers, even without Pat Cummins, were potent against Oman. Nathan Ellis played ahead of Cummins in that game, but Australia might bring back the premier pacer against a more formidable opponent.While Australia's batting looks settled, the misfiring Glenn Maxwell remains a concern. After a disappointing IPL campaign with Royal Challengers Bengaluru, Maxwell got out for a first-ball duck against Oman. The 2021 champions will be eager to see Maxwell return to his best, and a match against England offers him a perfect opportunity.In the other Group D match, South Africa will face a tricky opponent in Netherlands in New York on June 8. South Africa might have defeated Sri Lanka in their first match, but they have a fresh memory of their 38-run loss against the Dutch in last year's 50-over World Cup. The Aiden Markram-led side will be determined to avoid a repeat of that result.Anrich Nortje, who was a shadow of his intimidating self in the IPL, regained his rhythm against Sri Lanka, grabbing four wickets. Along with Kagiso Rabada, Nortje forms a strong combination upfront, and SA will require them in full flight against Netherlands, who started with a six-wicket win over Nepal.The Dutch side will be hoping for another clinical outing from their top players to bruise their fancied opponent once more. Max O'Dowd made a fifty in their win over Nepal, while leading pacers Tim Pringle and Logan van Beek took three wickets apiece. The Dutch side will be hoping for another clinical outing from their top players to bruise their fancied opponent once more.