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The Australian Cricket Board has revealed its ideal lineup from the ICC T20 World Cup 2024, yet stirred controversy by opting for an unconventional captain, overlooking Rohit Sharma.
Cricket Australia has unveiled its optimal team composition from the T20 World Cup 2024, following the exit of their national team led by Mitchell Marsh weeks earlier in the tournament. Despite being favorites, the Australian team was eliminated in the Super 8 stage, facing defeats consecutively after an initial victory against Bangladesh. Their journey turned arduous with losses to Afghanistan under Rashid Khan’s leadership and a significant setback against Rohit Sharma’s Indian team.
Australia’s fortunes have reversed since their stellar 2023, which saw them triumph in the World Test Championship and the Cricket World Cup, with Pat Cummins at the helm. On both occasions, they were runners-up to Rohit Sharma’s Indian squad in events held in Oval and Gujarat respectively.
Recently, Rohit Sharma and his team exacted revenge by knocking Australia out of the T20 World Cup in the West Indies and the USA. This outcome underscores India’s current dominance in global cricket, especially over their Australian rivals.
Despite their T20 World Cup exit, Cricket Australia is expected to regroup and mount a formidable resurgence, consistent with their competitive spirit. As they prepare to watch the T20 World Cup final in Barbados, featuring either South Africa or India, Cricket Australia’s announcement of their preferred XI has sparked discontent among fans.
Cricket Australia’s decision to appoint Rashid Khan as the captain of their T20 World Cup 2024 Best XI has left fans disgruntled, especially considering Rohit Sharma’s leadership credentials. Despite including Rohit Sharma in the lineup alongside Travis Head as the opening pair, the choice of Rashid Khan as captain has sparked confusion and criticism among supporters.
While Rohit Sharma has demonstrated strong leadership by taking charge and making decisive calls on the field, Rashid Khan’s captaincy has been noted for his reliance on the coaching staff, particularly Jonathon Trott and Dwayne Bravo. Although Afghanistan achieved their first-ever semi-final appearance in an ICC event under Rashid’s captaincy, questions linger about his role and decision-making compared to Rohit Sharma’s more independent approach.
Cricket Australia has assembled a formidable T20 World Cup 2024 playing XI, highlighted by a potent top-order featuring explosive batsmen. Opening the innings are Rohit Sharma partnered with Travis Head, followed by Nicholas Pooran from the West Indies at number 3 and USA’s Aaron Jones at number 4.
In the middle-order, Australian all-rounder Marcus Stoinis joins forces with the dynamic Indian vice-captain Hardik Pandya, known for his aggressive batting prowess. The team’s leadership falls to skipper Rashid Khan at number 7, accompanied by Bangladesh’s Rishad Hossain, adding depth as a wrist spinner.
The bowling attack is bolstered by South Africa’s Anrich Nortje, India’s Jasprit Bumrah, and Afghanistan’s Fazalhaq Farooqi, forming a formidable pace attack that promises to challenge any opposition in the tournament.
