Australia are on the verge of crashing out of the ongoing ICC Men’s T20 World Cup after suffering an eight-wicket defeat to Sri Lanka national cricket team in Kandy, leaving their qualification prospects dependent on multiple results and a sharp improvement in net run rate.
The defeat marked Australia’s second consecutive setback in the group stage and further underlined concerns that the absence of their frontline fast bowlers has left the side vulnerable in white-ball cricket.
Earlier in the tournament, Australia cricket team were stunned by world No 11 Zimbabwe, losing by 23 runs, before being comprehensively outplayed by Sri Lanka on Monday. The victory marked Sri Lanka’s third in as many matches and propelled them into the Super Eights stage.
Following the latest loss, Australia now require Zimbabwe to lose both of their remaining matches — against Ireland and Sri Lanka — to stay in contention.
In addition, Australia must defeat Oman convincingly and significantly boost their net run rate to have any realistic chance of progressing to the next round.
“There’s still a chance,” skipper Mitchell Marsh told reporters in Kandy. “But yeah, what do you say? The luck of the Irish.”
Having won the 2021 T20 World Cup and a record six 50-over World Cups, Australia have long prided themselves on their ability to shrug off all challenges and peak at the big events.
However, their usual swagger has disappeared without the senior players who have underpinned their success.
With left-arm great Mitchell Starc retired from T20 internationals and fellow quicks Pat Cummins and Josh Hazlewood sidelined with injury, it is Australia’s first World Cup in over a decade without at least one of their champion pace trio.
The back-up seamers led by Nathan Ellis have struggled to impose themselves, while veteran legspinner Adam Zampa has been punished by the Zimbabwe and Sri Lanka batters in two wicketless displays.
Australia’s batting, meanwhile, has failed repeatedly against spin and lost 10 wickets for 77 runs against Sri Lanka after Marsh and fellow opener Travis Head made 104 runs in 8.3 overs.
None among the trio of Cameron Green, Marcus Stoinis and Tim David reached single figures in either defeat against Zimbabwe and Sri Lanka.
Pakistan deja vu
The precarious situation has revived memories of two major tournaments in which Australia were eliminated at the group stage — and Pakistan went on to lift the trophy on both occasions.
The last time Australia failed to advance from the group phase of a men’s T20 World Cup was at the 2009 ICC World Twenty20, which was eventually won by Pakistan national cricket team.
Australia also suffered an early exit at the 2017 ICC Champions Trophy, a competition that again ended with Pakistan claiming the title.
Adding to the striking coincidence, India national cricket team were the defending champions in both the 2009 World T20 and the 2017 Champions Trophy — a scenario that has been repeated in the current tournament as well.
— With additional input from Reuters
