Australia, one of the most dominant performers in cricket, hasn’t won a T20 World Cup. The five time ODI World Champions has been quite ineffective when it comes to T20.
Australia’s best run in T20s has been in 2010, where they were defeated by Paul Collingwood’s English side. They were knocked out in group stages in 2014.
Australia is the only side who played less T20s than the other nations in 2015. The combination and balance in the squad aren’t spectacular. This year they are not favourites to lift the silverware.
Now what the five-time World Champions need to do to win the elusive World T20 in India.
The main problem in their build-up is shane Watson’s batting slot. Watson has been quite destructive when was asked to open the innings.
The belligerent hundred he scored against India in Sydney was the best evidence of it.
Considering the present squad, Watson will not be asked to open the innings along with David Warner, as Aaron Finch is already in the reckoning.
Australia’s best T20 performance came at Carribean in 2010, and in Sri Lanka, in 2012 respectively.
The devastating opening pair of David Warner and Shane Watson hammered India on both occasions in World Cup. When they reached the finals in 2010 and semi-finals in 2012, Watson opened the batting along with Warner.
Last time in Bangladesh, they went with Finch and Warner, but failed to reach the semi-finals.
Their only win came against the hosts Bangladesh and they lost to India, Pakistan and West Indies.
Considering Watson’s experience in IPL, his batting slot is crucial for Australia’s chances this time around.
He is the only Australian player who has played every season of IPL since it started in 2008.
His formidable presence has made him the most expensive buy in IPL9.
Injury forced Watson out for a while, but once he is fit and ready for world T20, he should move to his ideal batting slot, though he is ineffective outside top three.
Having been in and out of the side Watson needs to recover quickly and prove a point with his all round skills.
Now, with both Finch and Watson are suffering from injuries at the moment, the two warm-up matches before the World Cup would be ideal to find the right balance.
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