PALLEKELE: Australia will look to end one of its most calamitous World Cup campaigns on a positive note when it meets minnow Oman in their inconsequential final outing of this year’s T20 showpiece here on Friday.
Australia, the limited overs titan with six ODI and one T20I World Cup titles, was eliminated in the group stage after Tuesday’s game between Zimbabwe and Ireland in Kandy was washed out, which paved the way for the much-improved African side’s entry into the Super Eights from Group B along with tournament co-host Sri Lanka.
An injury-ravaged Australia showed glimpses of its batting prowess in the first half of its innings in the loss against Sri Lanka, but it was its shock defeat to Zimbabwe that really blew its campaign apart, forcing the administrators back home to announce a “forensic review” of its performance once the players return to the country.
The forgettable campaign was marked by injuries to key players, poor form, and baffling selection calls. The result was that the 2021 winner failed to progress beyond the group stage for the first time since 2009.
Australia, though, despite the absence of their star pace trio of Pat Cummins, Josh Hazlewood and Mitchell Starc, entered the tournament as one of the favourite, but things went downhill quickly following the reverse against Zimbabwe.
Now, before heading home, it will want to notch a win and then start focussing on the arduous process of long-term rebuilding, particularly with many key players now on the wrong side of 30. Agencies
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