Cricket

Australian fast bowler Mitchell Starc has expressed his frustration over being dropped for the crucial T20 World Cup Super Eights match against Afghanistan, stating that he was not amused by the team management's decision. The 2021 T20 World Cup champions suffered a shocking 21-run loss to Afghanistan, which dealt a massive blow to Australia's chances of entering the semifinals.Starc was replaced by Ashton Agar for the match, but the left-arm spinner, despite tying down the Afghanistan batters, could not take any wickets. "No — two World Cups in a row," Starc was quoted as saying by Sydney Morning Herald on Willow Talk podcast when quizzed about his omission and whether he was amused by the decision. "Just the match-up, they (team management) saw previous games on that ground in St Vincent with spin playing a part and obviously Ash (Ashton) and the left-armer enticing them to make a change," he added.This was the second occasion in a row where the Australian pacer was dropped for a T20 World Cup match against Afghanistan, with the previous one being in Adelaide in 2022 where also the hosts failed to reach the last four stage. Agar and the two Australian pace spearheads, Josh Hazlewood and Pat Cummins, were unable to break the partnership between openers Rahmanullah Gurbaz and Ibrahim Zadran, who ended up making 118 runs."I think Ash bowled pretty well in the powerplay. They probably played the spin quite well and batting first probably assessed the conditions a little bit better than we did, and had a couple of stumbles that in the end cost us the game," said Starc. "It was probably the fielding that cost us again that game. That meant we had to win against India and we fell short there as well."Australia then went on to lose to India in Super Eights and were later eliminated from the competition. Starc also expressed his displeasure with the scheduling of the tournament and pre seeding that saw them advance to the pre determined group despite topping the group stage. "We finished ahead of England (in the group stage) and end up where we were pre-seeded as the second side. All of a sudden, you're in a different group.""The argument was it was because it was so hard to get around the West Indies, so fans knew where your team was playing. "So then why don't you have the chock-a-block tournament at the front... and then spread it out at the back end? We had the two night games and the third was a day game, so it wasn't the best preparation. We had a delayed flight out of St Vincent, it was a 90-minute drive from the airport to the hotel in St Lucia, and then we had a 10 o'clock toss. He added that the travelling between venues in the West Indies is always difficult. "I think that was probably maybe a misread [by organisers], the fact that the front half of the tournament was more spread out, and then you hit the super eights and … travel around the West Indies is probably not the easiest thing to do, certainly not to travel home from.”

India's captain, Rohit Sharma, has received widespread acclaim for his exceptional performance in the T20 World Cup Super Eight match against Australia. His blistering 92 off 41 balls, featuring eight towering sixes and seven boundaries, propelled India to a commanding total of 205 for 5. The Indian bowlers then restricted Australia to 181 for 7, securing a 24-run victory that played a pivotal role in eliminating the reigning ODI World Cup champions from the tournament.Rohit's innings was marked by an explosive over against Mitchell Starc, where he amassed 29 runs. Former India cricketer Mohammad Kaif highlighted the significance of this over in shifting the momentum in India's favor. He emphasized Rohit's ability to perform on the big stage and his strategic batting against Starc."Rohit Sharma knows how to play an attacking game," Kaif said. "He played shots with a straight bat in the crucial match. The two cover drives for sixes off Starc were beautiful shots. There was precise timing, and they were played with a high elbow behind the ball. He didn't hit it hard; he played with the full face of the bat."India legend Sunil Gavaskar also praised Rohit's performance and leadership during the crucial juncture of the game. "Rohit Sharma, leading from the front, hitting those big sixes. Despite losing Kohli in the previous over, it just tells you the intent the captain of the Indian team has," Gavaskar noted.Rohit's influence and leadership have been instrumental in India's progression to the semi-finals, where they will face defending champions England. His ability to perform under pressure will be crucial as Team India continues its pursuit of the title.

Virat Kohli's early dismissal left India reeling at 6 for 1 in the second over of their T20I clash against Australia. However, Rohit Sharma stepped up to the plate and unleashed a brutal assault on Mitchell Starc, turning the tide in India's favor.Starc's first delivery to Sharma was a full toss outside off stump, which the Indian opener dispatched over cover for a six. The next ball was another full delivery, this time wider, and Sharma again sent it soaring over the boundary at cover point.Sharma's onslaught continued with a powerful drive down the ground for four off the third ball. Starc's fourth delivery was a 144kph full toss outside off stump, and Sharma seized the opportunity to launch it into the crowd at deep midwicket for another six.Starc attempted to stem the flow of runs with a wide blockhole, but Sharma was unable to connect. The Australian pacer then overstepped, resulting in a wide.Undeterred, Starc persisted with the wide yorker, but this time it sailed outside the tramlines. Sharma capitalized on the full toss that followed, top-edging it over deep third for another six.Starc's expensive over ended with Sharma on 26 runs from just five deliveries. The Indian opener's blistering start gave India the momentum they needed to post a competitive total of 161 for 7.

Australia's decision to field spinner Ashton Agar instead of pace spearhead Mitchell Starc in their T20 World Cup Super 8 match against Afghanistan has sparked debate. Despite Agar's economical performance, Afghanistan's strong opening partnership exposed the absence of Starc's early strike threat.Head coach Andrew McDonald defended the move, citing the need for spin on the sluggish surface. "We knew we were going to need more than eight overs of spin on that surface," he explained. "Ashton was suited to these conditions."Captain Mitchell Marsh echoed McDonald's sentiments, emphasizing the team's strategic approach. "We've got 15 guys here, and we'll pick a team that we think can win us the game in those certain conditions," he said.However, Afghanistan's steady start, reaching 40 for 0 in the first six overs, highlighted the potential impact of Starc's absence. McDonald acknowledged the importance of focusing on the upcoming match against India rather than dwelling on the previous game."There was no point trying to work out what might have happened if Starc had been selected," he said. "We got what we expected from the pitch. We've got to turn our focus to India: a totally different line-up on a totally different surface."The decision to omit Starc has raised questions about Australia's team selection strategy. While Agar's performance was commendable, the absence of Starc's early wickets may have cost Australia the match.As Australia prepares for their crucial clash against India, they will need to carefully consider their team selection and find the right balance between spin and pace to overcome the challenges of the different surfaces they will encounter.

Australia's Test and ODI captain, Pat Cummins, is relishing his role after being relieved of the T20 captaincy burden. He expressed confidence in his team's preparedness for the ongoing 2024 T20 World Cup, stating that they have "ticked off everything" they could have so far.In their opening Super 8 match, Cummins claimed a hattrick and leg-spinner Adam Zampa bowled economically to restrict Bangladesh to 140/8. In response, veteran opener David Warner led the chase with his second fifty of the tournament, guiding Australia to a 28-run victory via the DLS method.Cummins praised the team's overall performance, saying, "It was a fairly polished performance, which is kind of what you want in Super Eights." He emphasized the team's versatility and adaptability, noting that they have used 12 or 13 players so far and everyone has had a chance to contribute.He also highlighted the longevity and impact of Mitchell Starc, who became the highest wicket-taker in ODI and T20 World Cups combined. "He's just a class bowler who takes lots of wickets and has played for a while," Cummins said.Regarding Warner's impending retirement from international cricket, Cummins praised his insatiable appetite for runs in big tournaments. "He looks in great form and continues to play with that freedom, which is great," Cummins said.

Australia's victory over Scotland in the T20 World Cup 2024 has sparked controversy after comments made by Josh Hazlewood suggesting that Australia would benefit from eliminating England from the tournament. However, Mitchell Starc has dismissed these claims as "blown out of proportion" by the media.Hazlewood's initial remarks, made earlier in the week, hinted at a scenario where Australia could "drag out" their match against Scotland to potentially hinder England's progress. The Australian camp has since downplayed the comments, emphasizing that Hazlewood was joking and his words were taken out of context.Despite having nothing to play for in the match against Scotland, Australia's performance was far from their best. They dropped six catches and struggled in the chase, raising questions about their approach. However, Travis Head, Marcus Stoinis, and Tim David eventually guided Australia to victory with two balls to spare.Mitchell Marsh, Australia's captain, dismissed any suggestion that England's fate had been a topic of discussion within the team. "I think more externally than internally," he said.Starc, who was critical of the tournament's pre-seeding structure, also defended Hazlewood's comments. "I think a throwaway line has been blown right out of proportion by you lot," he said, referring to the media. "We're here to win games. It's international cricket."Brandon McMullen, Scotland's top scorer, expressed confidence in Australia's intentions. "They're always going to put up a good fight," he said.Despite the controversy, Australia's victory ensures England's progress to the Super Eight. However, the tournament's structure has come under scrutiny, with Starc questioning the fairness of pre-seeding and the potential for information asymmetry.

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.

Australia's T20 World Cup campaign got off to a winning start, but they had a scare when veteran pacer Mitchell Starc was forced off the field with a cramp during their match against Oman.Starc bowled just one delivery in his fourth over before he was subbed off by Cameron Green. The left-arm pacer bowled a wide and was visibly in pain after the delivery. Physios came out and gave him on-field treatment, and Starc eventually walked off the field.After the game, Australia captain Mitchell Marsh provided an update on Starc's condition. "Starcy was just a cramp so didn't want to take a chance," Marsh said in the post-match presentation. "When Starcy says I am okay to go off you let him go off."Despite Starc's absence, Australia managed to pull off a comfortable 39-run win. However, the match was closer than the scoreline suggests. Oman had their moments to shine throughout the game, and at one point, they had Australia by the ropes.After being put to bat, Australia struggled to muster up runs on the board. In the ninth over, Mehran Khan was on a hat-trick after removing Mitchell Marsh and Glenn Maxwell on back-to-back deliveries.But Marcus Stoinis and David Warner pulled Australia out of their misery with their 102-run stand. The bowlers kept their composure and effectively dealt with the threat that Oman batters carried."Close game. Good to get the win. It's not going to be the 200 types in this tournament. We are kind of going to the old T20 style here in this tournament," Marsh said."(On Stoinis) Took his time and showed his experience. We are looking forward to playing England. Different conditions here. Oman v Australia was a tight one, great for the game of cricket. There is sun here and we will enjoy that. It's going to be a great game," he added.After clinching a 39-run win in their campaign opener, Australia will now face their arch-rival England on Saturday at the Kensington Oval, Barbados.

Glenn McGrath, the legendary Australian fast bowler, has identified Mitchell Starc and Jasprit Bumrah as the two pacers he believes will dominate the docile pitches in the ongoing T20 World Cup in the West Indies.McGrath, who was speaking at the MRF Pace Foundation ground in Chennai, said that Starc's recent performances in the IPL have been impressive, and he expects him to continue his good form in the World Cup. "We saw Starc at the end of the IPL. He came into his own, which was good to see," McGrath said.The former Australian pacer also praised Bumrah, calling him "the one bowler that batters find it hard, even in T20s, to get on top of." McGrath believes that Bumrah's ability to bowl yorkers and slower balls at will makes him a formidable opponent.McGrath also spoke about the importance of other pacers bowling well in support of Bumrah. "It is who's going to take wickets around Bumrah and who's going to bowl well around him," he said.McGrath expressed his support for the expanded T20 World Cup, which features 20 teams. He believes that it gives more countries the opportunity to participate and experience the tournament. "I like the concept as long as it's not just easy games. It's good experience for these other countries that don't play a huge amount," he said.McGrath also commented on Starc's recent statement that he might consider leaving one format of international cricket to play more franchise cricket worldwide. McGrath expressed his concern about the potential impact this could have on Test cricket. "I guess, personally, my fear is where international cricket will be in 10 years. Hopefully, Test cricket is still held in high regard," he said.However, McGrath also acknowledged the appeal of franchise cricket. "It's quick. It's exciting. I think it's up to the senior players and the administrators, to hold Test cricket in high regard. And international cricket in high regard. But T20 cricket is here to stay," he said.