Cricket

In a thrilling Super 8 clash at the 2024 T20 World Cup, Indian all-rounder Axar Patel etched his name in the annals of cricket history with an extraordinary catch to dismiss Australian skipper Mitchell Marsh.After Marsh had survived a couple of earlier dropped catches, Axar produced a moment of brilliance on the final ball of the ninth over. Kuldeep Yadav's length ball was slog swept by Marsh, sending it hurtling towards the deep backward square-leg fence.As the ball approached, Axar, despite being a left-handed fielder, instinctively raised his right hand and timed his jump to perfection. The ball, traveling at a rapid pace, stuck in his grasp, sending shockwaves through the Australian camp.The catch not only ended Marsh's dangerous 37-run knock but also broke the 81-run partnership between him and opener Travis Head. It was a pivotal moment in the match, as Australia were chasing a formidable target of 206 set by India.Earlier, Rohit Sharma had played a blistering innings of 92 off 41 balls, propelling India to a commanding total. On a batting-friendly surface, Rohit unleashed his full repertoire of shots, hitting seven fours and eight sixes, including a record-extending 200th six in the T20 format.Axar's catch and Rohit's innings were the highlights of a memorable match that showcased the skill and excitement of the T20 World Cup.

Australia's Mitchell Marsh Anticipates Challenging Match Against Afghanistan in T20 World Cup Super 8sAustralia's captain, Mitchell Marsh, expressed his team's readiness for their upcoming Super 8s match against Afghanistan in the T20 World Cup. Marsh acknowledged Afghanistan's capabilities and emphasized the importance of trusting their game plan."We'll try and have a read on conditions and have a good night," Marsh said. "We know Afghanistan are a good side. We just need to trust our process and enjoy it."The match marks the second Super 8s game for both teams, with Australia aiming to extend their undefeated streak in the tournament. Afghanistan, on the other hand, seeks redemption after their loss to India in their opening match.Marsh highlighted the strategic decision to include Ashton Agar in the lineup, replacing Mitchell Starc, based on the anticipated conditions."Ashton Agar comes in for Mitchell Starc, purely conditions based," Marsh explained.The match will be played at the Arnos Vale Ground in Kingstown, St Vincent, and is expected to be a competitive encounter. Australia's dominance in the tournament thus far will be put to the test against a determined Afghanistan side eager to prove their worth.

Australia's Mitchell Marsh Opts to Bowl First in Super 8s Opener Against BangladeshIn the inaugural match of the Super 8s stage of the ICC Men's T20 World Cup, Australia captain Mitchell Marsh has elected to bowl first after winning the toss against Bangladesh at the Sir Vivian Richards Stadium in North Sound, Antigua.Marsh expressed confidence in the wicket, stating that it appeared decent and unlikely to change significantly. He emphasized the importance of adapting to the conditions, as Australia had previously played a match at the venue."We are going to bowl first. Looks a decent wicket, don't think it'll change too much. It's always nice to get used to the conditions; we have played one game here," Marsh said.Australia has made two changes to their lineup, bringing in Mitchell Starc and Pat Cummins for Ashton Agar and Nathan Ellis.The match marks the first encounter between Australia and Bangladesh in the Super 8s. Australia has maintained an undefeated record in the tournament thus far, topping Group B with four consecutive victories. Bangladesh, on the other hand, qualified as the second-placed team in Group D, winning three of their four matches.The toss was initially delayed due to rain, but the weather has since improved, allowing the players to warm up and the groundstaff to remove the covers.

Mitchell Marsh has declared himself fit to bowl in the Super Eight stage of the T20 World Cup 2024, providing Australia with an additional option ahead of their clash with Bangladesh in Antigua. The all-rounder has been sidelined with a hamstring injury since leaving the IPL, but has recovered sufficiently to be available for selection.Marsh's return to bowling will bolster Australia's bowling attack, which has been led by Marcus Stoinis in his absence. The team has also utilized 12 overs of spin against Scotland, indicating a potential shift in strategy for the Super Eight."I'll be available to bowl," Marsh said. "With the line-up that we've got, I don't really necessarily see a need for me to bowl, but I think it's really important in this format to have options and we're blessed with plenty of those."While Marsh's bowling role remains uncertain, he is confident in his ability to contribute with the bat. Despite a slow start to the World Cup, Marsh and Glenn Maxwell believe they are close to making a significant impact."For me and Mitch, we got a lot of confidence out of that England game for the role we played," Maxwell said. "Even though it's a small sample size we still feel like we played out role; we set the innings up for the lower order to then go nuts."Maxwell acknowledged his own struggles with form, but expressed optimism about his chances of regaining his rhythm. "I've been hitting the ball pretty well, but...it's just been really hard to, I suppose, get that rhythm and momentum," he said.Australia will face Bangladesh in Antigua on October 29th, with the Super Eight stage of the tournament set to begin on November 1st. The team will be hoping to secure a place in the semi-finals and continue their quest for a second T20 World Cup title.

Australia's Mitchell Marsh: Super Eights to Test Team Against World's BestAustralian captain Mitchell Marsh expressed his team's eagerness to face the world's top teams in the Super Eights of the ICC T20 World Cup. After their dominant five-wicket victory over Scotland, Marsh emphasized the importance of playing in a challenging environment to bring out the best in his squad."We spoke about sticking to our game and staying consistent in how we wanted to play," Marsh said after the match. "Having already qualified, there was less pressure on us, but whenever our team is challenged, it brings the best out of us."Marsh praised Scotland's progress, acknowledging their highest-ever finish in an ICC tournament. "Scotland are a good team, they have improved a lot, and we certainly wanted to respect them," he said.The Australian skipper also acknowledged the hectic schedule ahead in the Super Eights. "It's going to be a busy schedule. T20 is a hard format, but we are excited for what is to come," Marsh said.Australia's victory secured their top spot in Group B with eight points from four wins. Scotland finished third with five points, but failed to advance to the Super Eights. England also qualified, sharing the same points and win-loss record as Scotland but with a superior net run rate.

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."

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."

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."

Mitchell Marsh's appointment as Australia's T20 World Cup captain is a testament to his remarkable journey, marked by both inevitability and improbability.As the son of former ODI captain Geoff Marsh, Mitchell grew up immersed in the Australian cricket culture. His exceptional all-round talent and leadership qualities were evident early on, leading him to captain Australia to an Under-19 World Cup victory in 2010.However, Marsh's path to the senior captaincy was not without its challenges. Despite his talent, he faced criticism and setbacks, including being booed by his home crowd and breaking his hand in frustration. He was even dropped as Test vice-captain and left out of the 2021 T20 World Cup triumph.Through it all, Marsh remained resilient and focused on his own unique style of leadership. He is known for his genuine care for his teammates, his ability to create a fun and relaxed atmosphere, and his belief in allowing players to express themselves.Marsh's appointment as T20 World Cup captain is a reflection of his growth and maturity. He has embraced his own strengths and weaknesses, and has found a way to lead that aligns with his values and the modern Australian cricket culture.Under Marsh's leadership, Australia has won three T20I series in the past year. He has created a positive and supportive environment where players feel comfortable playing their natural game.While Marsh may not fit the traditional mold of an Australian captain, his unique qualities and his ability to connect with his teammates make him an ideal leader for this team. He is expected to create a calm and fun atmosphere at the World Cup, allowing players to perform at their best and challenge for the title.