Australia became the second team to qualify for the ‘Super 8s’ stage of the 2024 T20 World Cup with a dominant nine-wicket victory over Namibia. It’s Australia’s third win in as many games, and the current Test and ODI champions are asserting their pre-tournament status as one of the favourites to secure their second T20 World Cup. Yes, two of Australia’s wins have come at the expense of Oman and Namibia, two opponents that they were expected to convincingly defeat.
However, the differing way Australia won their three matches showcased the immense quality and versatility of this squad. More Cricket Their performance against Oman required David Warner and Marcus Stoinis to bat conservatively, placing a high price on their wicket before pressing the accelerator down in the final six overs of the match which saw Australia go from three for 80 to five for 164. Warner played an exceptional anchoring role, scoring 56 from 51 balls, whilst Stoinis took on the role of the aggressor, finishing with 67 from 36 deliveries.
Against England, the Aussies channelled their inner IPL 2024 and exploded out of the blocks, scoring 70 from the first five overs as Warner and Travis Head set the tone early. The platform the opening pair created allowed Mitchell Marsh and Glenn Maxwell to ease into their innings without having to worry about scoring at a quick rate. In turn, Australia was able to increase their run-rate over the course of the last eight overs, scoring 83 runs to post a tot.
