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Australia were expected to be one of the four semifinalists of T20 World Cup 2024 but their maiden loss to Afghanistan led to their exit from Super 8 stage. Normally, Australians have been good fielders but they dropped as many as five catches against Afghanistan which turned out to be very costly for the winners of the 2021 edition. Ahead of the first real challenge against England in three-T20I series, head coach Andrew McDonald blamed the below par fielding for the loss. McDonald also said there were discussions around Mitchell Marsh's captaincy but there is little he could do when fielders drop catches.
"We've got a few things that we need to work through, but clearly the key area for us that was disappointing was our fielding… that makes it really difficult for the captain and the team to function,” McDonald was quoted as saying by ESPNCricinfo on the eve of first T20I in Southampton.
"There was some discussion around Mitch Marsh and his captaincy, but if creating opportunities for the team with your bowling changes and your field positions is the way that we're going to critique a captain, I thought he did a fantastic job. We just weren't able to execute in those moments, and that really played out in the Afghanistan game."
Marsh hopes to play T20 World Cup 2024
Marsh who played a vital role in Australia's T20 World Cup 2021 triumph hopes that he stays in the team till the 2026 edition which will be hosted by Sri Lanka and defending champions India.
"It feels like a lifetime ago now, that T20 World Cup. It was just disappointment: we went there with the hope of winning it, like every other team did, and unfortunately, we didn't play our best cricket at the right time. In tournament play, that's what you rely on…there's a lot of cricket to be played between now and the next World Cup [in 2026] but hopefully I'm there,” Marsh said.
Australia in fine form
Australia started their tour of UK with a comprehensive cleansweep in the T20I series against Scotland. They will take on England on September 11. The hosts will be captained by Phil Salt in the absence of Jos Buttler who is nursing a calf injury.
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