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Former champions Australia's T20 World Cup 2024 campaign ended in disappointment during the Super 8 stage. Their campaign took a major blow with a defeat to Afghanistan in a crucial Super 8 clash. This loss left them needing a win against India to stay in contention, but they fell short again. Chasing a relatively modest target of 149 runs against Afghanistan, Australia's batting faltered. Only Glenn Maxwell, with a knock of 54 runs, could manage a significant score. This batting struggle highlighted a key weakness in Australia's performance. Adding to the sting of defeat, Afghanistan's subsequent victory over Bangladesh officially eliminated Australia from the tournament. Former Australian captain Mark Taylor offered his analysis on the team's performance. He believes Australia missed the experience and adaptability of Steve Smith, particularly in Caribbean conditions. Smith's batting skillset, according to Taylor, could have been a valuable asset for the team.
"I still think Australia should have picked Steve Smith and I thought that when they first left him out of the squad. If you look at the Afghanistan game, when you get a slow, turning wicket as they did, I would want Steve Smith in my side. He has the tools to play well in those conditions more than most players in that Australian side, if not all of them" Taylor said on World Wide Of Sports.
Mark Taylor, Australia's former captain, believes the turning pitches in the Caribbean demanded batters with strong technical skills. In his opinion, Steve Smith perfectly fits this description.
"That's where I think Australia missed out. Smith batting anywhere from four to seven would have been better than the players that we had on a slow, turning wicket. If you get those sorts of surfaces, you want players who are good batters and not just necessarily good hitters," he further added.
Smith's selection snub behind Australia T20 World Cup exit?
Mark Taylor, the former Australian captain, also raised questions about Steve Smith's selection for the T20 World Cup. Smith hadn't featured in many T20 internationals leading up to the tournament, and his absence from the IPL 2024 might have impacted his match fitness and form. Taylor further questioned the team management's decision to retain David Warner over Jake Fraser-McGurk. Fraser-McGurk, a rising star, impressed everyone with his performance in the IPL 2024, scoring 330 runs at a blistering strike rate of almost 235. His exclusion from the main squad, despite his recent form, sparked debate.
"With the Fraser-McGurk and Warner thing, I think that was a 50/50 call. You could have gone either way and mounted a good case either way on who should play," Taylor concluded.
Warner Caps Career with International Retirement
Following Australia's T20 World Cup exit, David Warner announced his retirement from all international cricket. This decision comes after his prior retirements from Test and ODI formats. The T20 World Cup marked his final international appearance for Australia, as he had already declared it to be his last tournament.
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