Australia’s cricket team has finally found its stride at the World Cup, with three consecutive wins under its belt. Captain Pat Cummins believes that his team has successfully executed the style of cricket they wanted to play. In the first two games, they not only failed to win, but they also couldn’t fully showcase their desired style of play. However, in the past few matches, they have been more aggressive in both batting and bowling.
Cummins expressed his satisfaction with their recent performances and emphasized the importance of maintaining this standard for the rest of the tournament. He acknowledged that in the losses against India and South Africa, they allowed the game to slip away in the middle-overs by not taking wickets. But since then, they have managed to bundle out their opponents easily, including a record-breaking 309-run victory over the Netherlands.
The Australian team prioritizes taking wickets at the start and middle of the innings, even if it means giving up a few runs. They understand that being safe in the middle-overs could result in the opposition scoring freely in the later stages of the game. Cummins also praised his bowling partner, Mitchell Starc, who has never gone wicketless in 23 World Cup matches since 2015. Starc’s ability to bowl consistently across different phases of the game and maintain his pace over the years is commendable.
In their match against the Netherlands, Cummins had a remarkable partnership with Glenn Maxwell, with the duo scoring 103 runs off just 44 balls. Cummins described Maxwell as a superstar and praised his ability to take charge in the final overs of the innings. Maxwell’s request to face more balls in the last few overs paid off as he achieved a record-breaking 40-ball century.
New Zealand captain Tom Latham acknowledged that the “Australia that we know” has finally arrived at the tournament. He warned other teams not to underestimate Australia moving forward.