Tag: australia

Australia leg-spinner Adam Zampa has expressed his hope to play Test cricket for the national team despite playing only a handful of first-class games in recent years.

The 32-year-old spinner has been a mainstay of Australia’s white-ball side and played a key role in the side’s victory in the ICC T20 World Cup 2022 and the ICC ODI World Cup 2023.

However, despite being a regular member of the white-ball sides, Zampa shared his desire to play red-ball cricket as well.

“I think, realistically, [I’m] still a chance to play Test cricket,” he told the Final Word podcast.

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“If I was playing a lot of Shield cricket right now with the way I’m bowling, the bowler I am, think I’d be doing really well. The few games I have played in the last couple of years are suggestive of that.

“Even if I do get picked in the upcoming subcontinent tours, people will say, well his record is averaging 46 with the ball, it’s not good enough, people will say that I’m sure, but if I do get picked I’ll know that the way I feel like I’m bowling, it’ll be fine.”

For the unversed, Adam Zampa also expressed disappointment over missing Australia’s Test tour of India last year. He was expecting a call-up but the selectors preferred Mitchell Swepson as the second spinner.

Zampa has taken 111 wickets from 40 first-class matches at an average of 46.98.

READ: Maharaj, Rabada help South Africa to keep hopes of West Indies win alive

Key Australia players may likely miss the three-match T20I series against Pakistan, scheduled later this year, in a bid to prepare for the five-match Test series against India, ESPN Cricinfo reported Thursday.

Cricket Australia (CA) on Thursday, announced the schedule of domestic summer including the Sheffield Shield, scheduled to commence on October 8.

Consequently, Australia’s all-format players will have an ample opportunity to prepare for the Test series against India but their availability in the tournament will be majorly affected by the white-ball series against Pakistan.

Pakistan’s white-ball tour to Australia will embark with a three-match ODI series. Melbourne Cricket Ground (MCG) will host the series opener on November 4 with subsequent matches scheduled on November 8 and 10 in in Adelaide and Perth, respectively.

Pakistan and Australia will then engage in a three-match T20I series, scheduled to commence on November 14.

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The T20I series will conclude on November 18, just three days prior to Australia’s first Test of the five-match series against India.

As a result, only those Australia players, who will not participate in the Test series against India, will feature in the T20I series against Pakistan.

“Availability of multi-format players for the Shield will likely be impacted by the limited-overs visit of Pakistan with the ODI series starting on November 4,” the report read.

“The proximity of the T20Is (November 14-18) to the start of the India series means only players not featuring in the Test will likely be selected,” it added.

Schedule of Pakistan’s white-ball tour to Australia

Pakistan vs Australia ODI series schedule:

November 4: First ODI at MCG, Melbourne
November 8: Second ODI at Adelaide Oval, Adelaide
November 10: Third ODI at Perth Stadium, Perth

Pakistan vs Australia T20I series schedule:

November 14: First T20I at The Gabba, Brisbane
November 16: Second T20I at SCG, Sydney
November 18: Third T20I at Bellerive Oval, Hobart

READ: Hasan Ali reacts to Hafeez’s claims regarding players sleeping in dressing room

Former Australia opener David Warner “won’t be there in Pakistan” for the ICC Champions Trophy 2025 despite his interest in participating in the multi-lateral tournament.

Warner, who declared that the ICC Men’s Cricket World Cup 2023 would be his last appearance for Australia in the format, confirmed the decision ahead of his final Test earlier this year.

The left-handed opener, however, left the door open for his return in Champions Trophy 2025, which is scheduled to be played in Pakistan.

“I know there’s a Champions Trophy coming up. If I’m playing decent cricket in two years time and I’m around and they need someone, I’m going to be available,” stated Warner.

Recently, David Warner once again expressed, through an Instagram post, that he is ready to play for Australia in the eight-team event, if the management selects him.

“Chapter closed!! It’s been an unbelievable experience to play at the highest level for such a long period. Australia was my team. The majority of my career was at the international level,” Warner wrote on Instagram.

“It’s been an honour to be able to do this. 100+ games in all formats is my highlight. I will continue to play franchise cricket for a while, and I am also open to playing for Australia in the Champions trophy if selected,” he added.

However, Australia’s national selector George Bailey shared Monday that David Warner is considered “retired” and not in plans for the Champions Trophy 2025 and instead emphasized that his legacy across formats should be commended.

“Our understanding is that David is retired, and [he] should be commended on what has been an incredible career across all three formats. Certainly, our planning is that he won’t be there in Pakistan,” said Bailey.

“You never know when Bull’s joking…think he’s just stirring the pot a bit. He’s had a wonderful career, can’t celebrate it enough, and think as time goes by, his legacy of what he has done for Australia and we reflect back on that, the legend of a player is only going to continue to grow. But as far as this team goes and the journey to transition to some different players, in his case across all three formats, it’s going to be exciting,” he concluded.

READ: PCB appoints Australia’s Tony Hemming as chief curator

Australia Test captain Pat Cummins have been left out of the T20I as well as the ODI squad for the upcoming tours of England and Scotland in September.

The ODI World Champions have announced two separate squads under the white-ball captain Mitchell Marsh for the tour, featuring six T20I and five ODI matches.

The T20I squad features some fresh faces, reflecting the team’s transition following the retirement of their batting mainstay David Warner. The left-handed batter played his last match during the recently concluded T20 World Cup 2024.

22-year-old opening batter Jake Fraser-McGurk has been selected in T20I and ODI squads to take the top-order slot, which Warner previously held. He has played two ODIs so far during the home series against West Indies earlier this year.

Uncapped all-rounder Cooper Connolly also earned his maiden call-up for the T20I series. He has played in only 15 T20 matches so far, scoring 226 runs with a strike rate of 145.80 and has taken six wickets at an average of 15.16.

Justifying his selection despite playing few games at the domestic level, the national selector George Bailey said, “We haven’t had that many bolters for a little while.”

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“He’s an exciting young talent. Hasn’t played a great many games yet, but we really like his versatility. His work through the middle order for the Scorchers has been really impressive.

“Handy left-arm spin as well which, as a secondary skill, is something we are really keen to keep exploring and see where that goes with his cricket.”

Moreover, Pat Cummins has been rested for the complete tour to manage his workload ahead of the home summer. Meanwhile, Mitchell Starc and Glenn Maxwell are set to play in only ODI series against England.

“He’s got a couple of things he wants to work on physically,” Bailey said. “He’s had a lot of cricket over the past period, and this is an opportunity to get on top of those and set him up for the next period of time; it’s more a management of that.”

Ashton Agar and Matthew Wade, who were part of Australia’s T20 World Cup squad, have been dropped. Josh Inglis will serve as the wicketkeeper in T20I series, while Alex Carey will continue to keep in ODIs.

Australia T20I squad vs Scotland and England

Mitchell Marsh (c), Xavier Bartlett, Cooper Connolly, Tim David, Nathan Ellis, Jake Fraser-McGurk, Cameron Green, Aaron Hardie, Josh Hazlewood, Travis Head, Josh Inglis (wk), Spencer Johnson, Marcus Stoinis, Adam Zampa

Australia ODI squad vs England

Mitchell Marsh (c), Sean Abbott, Alex Carey (wk), Cameron Green, Nathan Ellis, Jake Fraser-McGurk, Aaron Hardie, Josh Hazlewood, Josh Inglis (wk), Travis Head, Marnus Labuschagne, Glenn Maxwell, Matthew Short, Steven Smith, Mitchell Starc, Adam Zampa

READ: Former India cricketer challenges Pakistan over Champions Trophy hosting

Australian opening batter David Warner has recently expressed his willingness to play in the upcoming ICC Champions Trophy 2025, scheduled in Pakistan.

The left-handed batter announced his retirement from ODI cricket earlier this year on the eve of his farewell Test against Pakistan. However, he did not rule out the possibility of turning out to play in the Champions Trophy 2025, only if the team needs him.

His last ODI was the final of the World Cup 2023, where Australia defeated India to lift their record-sixth title.

Recently, he once again expressed, through an Instagram post, that he is ready to play for Australia in the eight-team event, if the management selects him.

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“Chapter closed!! It’s been an unbelievable experience to play at the highest level for such a long period. Australia was my team. The majority of my career was at the international level,” Warner wrote on Instagram.

“It’s been an honour to be able to do this. 100+ games in all formats is my highlight. I will continue to play franchise cricket for a while, and I am also open to playing for Australia in the Champions trophy if selected,” he added.

 

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A post shared by David Warner (@davidwarner31)

Australia’s ODI and Test captain Pat Cummins has previously hinted at moving on and giving chance to young players, however, he did not completely rule out the possibility of Warner’s return, calling it an ’emergency option.

“I think it’s probably time to give some others a crack [in ODIs], but knowing that he’s going to still be playing cricket,” he said. “So it might be more of a kind of break glass in an emergency option. But, you know, David is going to be scoring runs somewhere in the world. So you never quite know that this is [the end].”

Warner has represented Australia in 161 ODIs, scoring 6932 runs at an average of 45.30 with 22 centuries and 33 half-centuries.

READ: England announce Playing XI for James Anderson’s farewell Test against West Indies

Australia’s power-hitting coach Shannon Young came out in support of Pakistan white-ball captain and ace batter Babar Azam, who has been under criticism for his below-par performances.

In an interview with the local media outlet, Shannon Young termed Babar Azam a world-class player before asserting if a player of his calibre was in Australia, they would back him instead of criticising him.

“He [Babar] is well; he is a world-class player. If there was a player like Babar [Azam] in Australia, we would have been supporting him instead of criticising him,” said Young.

“In Australia, we back them in, and we say they’ve been world-class players, they’re gonna be world-class players again.

“I think sometimes the passion tips over that these guys carry so much expectation through Pakistan’s one of the best players in the world; he’s gonna be fine.”

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Shannon Young also revealed his plans to bring young Australian cricketers to Pakistan on his next visit and provide them with the opportunity to partake in high-performance training sessions.

“We’re hoping that maybe April. Previously, I’ve always wanted to come to Pakistan, so I got the opportunity, and I knew really early on that Australians would love Pakistan. So we’re gonna bring hopefully a couple of tours to play cricket here,” he said.

“I’ve always wanted to visit Pakistan, and now I got the chance. First, I spent four days in Karachi, and now I’m in Lahore for another four days. In the past, I’ve toured India many times with cricketers,” Young added.

Earlier, Shannon Young met Pakistan captain Babar Azam, who approached him to enhance his power-hitting abilities to cater to the demands of modern-day cricket.

READ: Pakistan to play ODI tri-series amid home international season 2024-25

GROS ISLET: India captain Rohit Sharma became the first batter to hit 200 sixes in T20I cricket during the ICC Men’s T20 World Cup 2024 Super Eight clash against Australia here at Darren Sammy National Cricket Stadium on Monday.

Sharma played a dominant knock against Australia, scoring a swashbuckling 41-ball 92, peppered with seven fours and eight sixes.

The right-handed batter, who holds the record for most sixes in T20I cricket, extended his lead and became the first batter to cross the 200-sixes landmark.

He now leads the list with 203 sixes, followed by New Zealand’s Martin Guptill with 173 sixes.

Batters with most sixes in men’s T20Is

Rohit Sharma – 203 in 150 innings
Martin Guptill – 173 in 118 innings
Jos Buttler – 137 in 113 innings
Glenn Maxwell – 133 in 103 innings
Nicholas Pooran – 132 in in 87 innings

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Meanwhile, Sharma also became the batter with the second-most sixes in T20 World Cups with 48 sixes, only behind West Indies legend Chris Gayle (63).

Under Sharma’s leadership, India qualified for the semi-final of the T20 World Cup 2024 by defeating Australia by 24 runs.

Chasing a daunting 206-run total, Australia could accumulate 181/7 in their quota of 20 overs despite Travis Head’s half-century. Head remained the top-scorer for Australia with 76 off 43 deliveries, hitting nine fours and four sixes.

READ: Virat Kohli bags unwanted T20 World Cup record with duck against Australia

GROS ISLET: Rohit Sharma’s swashbuckling 92, followed by a combined bowling effort led India to beat Australia and qualify for the ICC Men’s T20 World Cup 2024 semi-finals here at Darren Sammy National Cricket Stadium on Monday.

Chasing a daunting 206-run total, Australia could accumulate 181/7 in their quota of 20 overs despite Travis Head’s half-century.

Australia had a shaky start to the pursuit as they lost David Warner (6) in the first over with just six runs on the board.

Following the early hiccup, Mitchell Marsh joined forces with Travis Head and the duo launched a counterattack.

They raised 81 runs in just 41 deliveries before Marsh fell victim to Kuldeep Yadav as Axar Patel took a blinder just inside the square leg boundary.

Marsh made important contribution for Australia with a 28-ball 37 which included three fours and two sixes.

Travis Head and Glenn Maxwell then put together a quick partnership for the third wicket, adding 41 runs to the total until Kuldeep castled the latter on the first delivery of the 14th over.

Maxwell made 20 in 12 balls, laced up with two fours and a six.

Australia then lost another wicket, exactly an over later, when Marcus Stoinis (2) fell prey to Axar Patel while attempting to play a reverse sweep.

The 2021 champions suffered a massive setback to their run-chase when their mainstay Head was outclassed by Jasprit Bumrah’s slower delivery in the 17th over with 56 still required.

Head remained the top-scorer for Australia with 76 off 43 deliveries, hitting nine fours and four sixes.

His dismissal halted the flow of runs for Australia and they lost two more wickets in the next over, allowing India to seize control.

Australia eventually succumbed to a 24-run defeat which dented their semi-final hopes.

Arshdeep Singh led the bowling charge for India with three wickets, followed by Kuldeep with two while Bumrah and Axar chipped in with a wicket apiece.

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Put into bat first, India registered 205/5 on the board, courtesy of Rohit Sharma’s baton charge.

Rohit, unfazed by his opening partner Virat Kohi’s early demise, dominated the Australian bowlers from the word go.

India had a contrasting start to their innings as they lost Virat Kohli (0) in the second over with just six runs on the board.

Meanwhile, Rohit, unfazed by his opening partner’s dismissal, denied Australia to attain momentum and smashed Mitchell Starc for 29 runs in the third over.

He continued to dominate the Australian bowlers in a one-sided second-wicket partnership with Rishabh Pant (15), which yielded 87 runs off just 38 deliveries.

Rohit was then involved in yet another notable partnership for India when he added 45 runs for the third wicket with Suryakumar Yadav before Starc finally got rid of him in the 12th over to provide Australia a much-needed breakthrough.

He remained the top-scorer for India with a 41-ball 92, peppered with seven fours and eight sixes.

Yadav and Shivam Dube then knitted a brisk 32-run partnership to keep India on the track.

The top-ranked T20I batter walked back in the 15th over after scoring a blistering 31 off 16 balls with the help of three fours and two sixes.

Dube was then joined by Hardik Pandya in the middle and together they raised 35 runs for the fifth wicket until the former perished in the penultimate over after scoring 28 off 22.

Pandya bolstered India’s total in the death overs against Australia with 27 not out. His 17-ball cameo featured one four and two sixes.

Marcus Stoinis and Mitchell Starc bagged two wickets each for Australia while Josh Hazlewood picked one.

The 24-run victory propelled India into the T20 World Cup 2024 semi-finals as they topped Group 1 of the Super Eights stage with six points in three matches while Australia remained second with two points in as many matches.

READ: Shubman Gill to lead young India squad on Zimbabwe tour

Left-handed opener Usman Khawaja lauded Afghanistan on their historic victory over Australia but expressed regret over not seeing them playing in his country.

Taking to X, formerly Twitter, Khawaja congratulated Afghanistan on beating Australia in the Super Eights fixture of the ongoing ICC Men’s T20 World Cup 2024.

The opening batter did not shy from terming Afghanistan “the better team on the day” before expressing his contradiction with Cricket Australia’s (CA) decision against playing the bilateral series with the Asian side.

“Well done Brother. Better team on the day. You boys are an inspiration for so many back home and abroad. So sad we can’t see you all play in Australia,” Usman Khawaja wrote.

For the unversed, the CA has thrice postponed a bilateral fixture or a series with Afghanistan, citing restrictions on women’s rights in the country.

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In 2021, Australia postponed the one-off Test against Afghanistan, scheduled to be played in Hobart before withdrawing from an ODI series, supposed to be played in the United Arab Emirates (UAE) in March 2023.

The postponement drew massive outbursts from the Afghanistan Cricket Board (ACB) and the Afghan players but the CA remained firm on the stance.

In March 2024, the CA, in consultation with the Australian government, made the decision to shelve the three-match T20I series against Afghanistan and stated that it would continue to engage with the ACB in “anticipation of improved conditions for women and girls in the country”.

“Over the past twelve months, CA has continued to consult with the Australian Government on the situation in Afghanistan. The government’s advice is that conditions for women and girls in Afghanistan are getting worse. For this reason, we have maintained our previous position and will postpone the bilateral series against Afghanistan,” stated CA.

READ: Afghanistan’s win over Australia spices up Group 1 semi-final race

SAINT VINCENT: Afghanistan’s stunning 21-run victory over Australia on Saturday has ignited the semi-final race of Group 1 of the ICC Men’s T20 World Cup 2024 Super Eights.

Australia’s victory over Afghanistan would have propelled them, alongside India, into the semi-finals of the ongoing mega event but the Asian side avenged their ICC Men’s Cricket World Cup 2023 defeat to make things tough for the former champions.

Inaugural champions India currently lead the Group 1 standings with four points in two matches and a net run-rate of +2.425.

Whereas, Australia, despite their loss against Afghanistan are second in the standings with two points in two games, ahead of Afghanistan, who boast a similar record but an inferior net run-rate.

The upset brought Afghanistan back into contention to seal their first-ever semi-final berth in Men’s T20 World Cups as they now need to beat Bangladesh in their last Super Eights fixture, scheduled on June 25.

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If Afghanistan beat Bangladesh and Australia lose to India then they, alongside India, would advance into the knockouts.

But if Australia defeat India in their remaining Super Eights fixture on June 24 they would be favourites to advance into the semi-finals regardless of the Afghanistan-Bangladesh fixture’s result, considering their superior net run-rate.

Notably, India are all but certain to qualify for the T20 World Cup 2024 semi-final as a defeat against Australia would not dent their chances much unless the Mitchell Marsh-led side humble them with a hefty margin and Afghanistan blow away Bangladesh in a similar manner.

Mathematically, India can only crash out of the semi-final race if Australia and Afghanistan win their respective Super Eights matches with a margin of over 120 runs.

READ: Mitchell Marsh hopeful for a turnaround in “must-win” India game