3 reasons why Australia are favorites to win T20 World Cup 2024
The upcoming 2024 T20 World Cup presents a rare opportunity for Australia to achieve a feat that was rightly deemed impossible. With the ODI World Cup and the World Test Championship firmly in their grip, the shortest format title would make them leaps and bounds ahead of the rest, if they are not already.
Led by Mitchell Marsh, the Men in Yellow unsurprisingly look dominant on paper, and the same can be expected when they step out onto the field. Australia have been strangers to the shortest format in the past, but they have caught up in recent times, with the 2021 T20 World Cup being proof of the same.
Australia's squad for the 2024 T20 World Cup
Mitchell Marsh (c), Ashton Agar, Pat Cummins, Tim David, Nathan Ellis, Cameron Green, Josh Hazlewood, Travis Head, Josh Inglis, Glenn Maxwell, Mitchell Starc, Marcus Stoinis, Matthew Wade, David Warner, and Adam Zampa.
On that note, let us take a look at three reasons why Australia are favorites to win the T20 World Cup 2024.
#1 Elite big-match players
The first and foremost trait that unanimously and almost involuntary creeps up when looking at the Australian team is their ability to step up in big matches. There are countless examples where the side were written off, whether it be due to the opposition's prowess or their own poor form of late, it has all proven to be irrelevant.
Irrespective of circumstances or conditions, Australia can never be classified as underdogs.
With a plethora of experienced players like David Warner, Glenn Maxwell, Adam Zampa, and the entire pace bowling attack, who have been in every possible scenario at the highest level, and succeeded, there is no side better than Australia when it comes to the mental aspect.
When other sides freeze and second guess every decision during the business end, Australia rise to the occasion. This solitary trait has helped them win so many tournaments in the past, among other factors, and it might play a huge role this time around too.
#2 Prowess across every department
Australia's innate and strong mentality is also backed up by an excellent squad. The selectors had to make some tough calls, resulting in the likes of Jake Fraser-McGurk and Matt Short missing out.
Australia have a set top-order in Travis Head, David Warner, and Mitchell Marsh. Head's form coupled with Warner's ability to step up when it matters makes them one of the most lethal opening pairs in the entire combination.
Glenn Maxwell, despite not being in form is a huge threat. The finishing pair of Matthew Wade and Tim David have proven to be effective in the past as well.
Australia managed to win the 2023 ODI World Cup with just one specialist spinner. This time around they have Adam Zampa leading the spin attack, and two very reliable finger spinners in Ashton Agar and Glenn Maxwell. Lastly, the notorious pace trio speaks for themselves, which possibly keeps the T20 specialist Nathan Ellis on the bench, unless Australia think of something radical. Either way, they have a balanced bowling attack.
#3 One of the best at adapting to conditions
Australia have been one of the best performing teams away from home, because of how well they read conditions and adapt accordingly as soon as possible. They surprisingly failed to qualify for the knockouts of the 2022 T20 World Cup on home soil, but they have been brilliant in away conditions across all formats.
They won the 2021 title in the United Aram Emirates (UAE), and won the 2023 ODI World Cup in India, possibly by reading the conditions even better than the host nation.
Keeping that in mind, Australia will have focused a lot on the conditions during the buildup, and their primary agenda would be to acclimatise.
Early signs do indicate that conditions in the USA with the drop in pitches and in the Caribbean would be quite different. Australia, who will be playing their group stage matches in the Caribbean, will have a huge advantage in the Super 8 stage, which will be contested entirely on the islands and not the States.