When it comes to the ICC events, it is hard to look past Australia. The upcoming 2024 T20 World Cup provides Australia with a rare opportunity. If Mitchell Marsh manages to lift the title in Barbados on June 29, Australia will complete a rare treble in cricket.
Australia will become the first team to hold all three ICC’s top global trophies at the same time.
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In June 2023, Australia defeated India by 209 runs to win the World Test Championship Final at the Oval, London. Five months later, India was once again at the receiving end, this time at the 50-over-World Cup Final in Ahmedabad.
Australia defeated India by 6 wickets, and with it broke over a billion hearts at the Narendra Modi Stadium. This was Australia’s sixth Men’s ODI World Cup and one that India will not forget for a very long time.
There’s a good reason why Australia will go for the glory. They have picked up an aging but experienced side for the 2024 T20 World Cup. In the last edition played at home, Australia failed to defend its crown under Aaron Finch’s captaincy.
The Aussies have already tasted success at the T20 World Cup. In 2021, the Men in Gold outclassed New Zealand by 8 wickets in Dubai. Coincidentally, Mitchell Marsh back then was the player of the final. Three years later, Jr. Marsh will be leading the Aussies in the West Indies.
History suggests, that whenever Australia has been written off or is not deemed as favourites, they have proved everyone wrong. Be it the 2007 Men’s ODI World Cup, the 2009 Champions Trophy, or even the 2021 T20 World Cup – Australia loves playing on the big stage.
Most of the Australian squad is over 30. However, former Indian cricketer Vijay Bharadwaj feels the Australian challenge at the ICC events can never be overlooked.
“Australia is a champion side. Yes, they have some aged players, but I look at it in terms of experience, and not age. Australia is capable of winning the T20 World Cup and achieving a rare treble,” Vijay Bharadwaj told the SportsPlanet
Australia needs a reason to play well. This time the motivation is to prove detractors wrong, that age is just a number.
“Have we gone back to the tried and tested in terms of World Cups and the performers that we know can perform on that stage? There’s no doubt about that. It’s players that have been there before and done it and are still in good form,” said head coach Andrew McDonald.`
Is a rare cricket treble loading? If Australia manages to achieve that, very few teams in the coming years will come even close to matching this amazing feat, that’s for sure.
Australia Squad for the 2024 T20 World Cup
Mitchell Marsh (c), Ashton Agar, Pat Cummins, Tim David, Nathan Ellis, Cameron Green, Josh Hazlewood, Travis Head, Josh Inglis, Glenn Maxwell, Mitchell Starc, Marcus Stoinis, Matthew Wade, David Warner, and Adam Zampa. Reserves: Jake Fraser-McGurk, and Matt Short.
