Un-Australian, uninspiring: The anatomy of a wretched 2024 T20 World Cup campaign
'Definitely Australia', replied Pat Cummins when asked to pick his top four teams for the 2024 T20 World Cup ahead of the ICC event. In a clip that went viral, and has reemerged on social media in the wake of Australia being knocked out, Cummins is heard nonchalantly adding 'don't care' when asked to other predict the other three teams in the top four. The prediction 'definitely' hasn't aged well.
So, what exactly went wrong for Australia - one of the favorites to win the 2024 T20 World Cup? A lot actually, and one of the most surprising aspects of their campaign was the fact that the brand of cricket they put up on display was very uninspiring - 'un-Australian' to be brutally honest. They did top Group B, but not all their wins came convincingly. The Aussie ruthlessness was missing.
If we analyze Australia's batting closely in their 2024 T20 World Cup campaign, their experienced batting line-up never really got going. They were in a bit of trouble in group matches against Oman and Scotland. David Warner, Marcus Stoinis, and Travis Head, however, combined to pull them through.
Oubatted in the Super 8s
The batting frailties in the Aussie line-up, however, stood exposed in the Super 8 round. Afghanistan knocked them over for 127, with only three batters reaching three figures. While Glenn Maxwell hit 59, the two others scored 12 and 11. Even in the must-win clash against India, it was a one-man show from Head that kept them alive.
Apart from Warner, Head, and Stoinis, none of the Australian batters put their hands up. Skipper Mitchell Marsh needs to take a lot of the blame for Australia's early exit from the T20 World Cup. He had a horror run with the bat and never looked like he was going to dominate. Even his 37 against India was a chancy knock, which included a dropped catch early in his innings.
Looking at the other key members in the Aussie batting line-up, Maxwell did nothing with the willow except compiling a fighting half-century against Afghanistan in a losing cause. The casual manner of his dismissal against India had a hit of arrogance in it. As for Tim David and Matthew Wade, they were pretty much passengers in Australia's 2024 T20 World Cup campaign.
A horror show in the field
Great fielding is an aspect that gets associated with all Australian cricket teams [men and women] almost by default. It was thus shocking to see the number of catches that the Aussies dropped in the ongoing T20 World Cup.
There were three missed chances in the group match against Scotland in St Lucia, and as many as five against Afghanistan in St Vincent. Even in the game against India, Marsh dropped a dolly offered by Hardik Pandya. Australia's overall presence in the field also lacked a sense of surety. This wasn't the Australia we have come to know of over the years.
Expect an Aussie revamp in T20Is
The obvious question in the wake of Australia's debacle in the 2024 T20 World Cup is - where do they go from here in the T20 format? Having observed how Aussie cricket functions, one can safely assume that the T20I team will be in for an overhaul.
Heads will roll for sure. Expect some big names to make way. After all, we are talking about a system that was bold enough to axe legends like Steve Waugh and Michael Bevan from the one-day side to prepare for the future. Warner has retired, but there would be big question marks over the likes of Marsh and Maxwell keeping the next T20 World Cup in mind.
Heading into the 2024 T20 World Cup in the United States and West Indies, Australia had a golden opportunity to be world champions in all three formats simultaneously. They won the World Test Championship (WTC) as well as the ODI World Cup last year. The Aussies would be the first to put their hands up and admit that they weren't good enough in this World Cup and didn't deserve to win it.
At the same time, one can expect them to make a strong return in the next T20 World Cup to be hosted in India and Sri Lanka. The comeback is greater than the setback goes the famous saying. And the Aussies know that better than most other teams for sure!