23 March 2003, Australia created history by becoming the first team to win three World Cup’s. Four years from then, they won their fourth World Cup in Caribbean. This time around, they’ll be playing in the front of their home crowd and the expectations of performing well would be quite high from them. The team looks good on the papers but with injury concerns to some of their key players, will they be able to absorb the pressure and lift their fifth title? Here is their team preview going into the World Cup:
Australia’s World Cup History:
|
Year |
Position |
|
1975 |
Semi-Finals |
|
1979 |
First Round |
|
1983 |
First Round |
|
1987 |
Winners |
|
1992 |
First Round |
|
1996 |
Runners up |
|
1999 |
Winners |
|
2003 |
Winners |
|
2007 |
Winners |
|
2011 |
Quarter-Finalists |
Australian team rejoicing after their first world cup (1987) victory
Australia’s Squad for ICC World Cup 2015:
Captain: Michael Clarke
Coach: Darren Lehmann
Batsmen:
- David Warner
- Aaron Finch
- Steven Smith
- Michael Clarke
- George Bailey
Bowlers:
- Mitchell Johnson
- Mitchell Starc
- Pat Cummins
- Josh Hazlewood
- Xavier Doherty
All-Rounders:
- Shane Watson
- Mitchell Marsh
- Glenn Maxwell
- James Faulkner
Wicket-Keeper:
- Brad Haddin
Strengths:
->Powerful batting order
->Excellent fielding unit
->Probably the best bowling lineup among all the teams in the tournament
->Presence of four all-rounders
->Michael Clarke, The Captain Courageous
Threats:
->Injuries to James Faulkner and Michael Clarke (both are expected to miss the start of the tournament)
->Pressure of playing at home
->Shane Watson’s inconsistency in batting
Key Players To watch Out For:
David Warner:
Biggest Strength: His aggressive approach at the top of the innings which disrupts the bowling team’s plans and sets up the tone for the rest of the innings for players like Maxwell, Smith to build upon.
Steven Smith:
Biggest Strength: Ability to change gears and steady the ship as per the situation.
Glenn Maxwell:
Biggest Strength: Ability to play a game-changing innings in tense situation. He can also chip-in with 5-6 useful overs.
Mitchell Johnson:
Biggest Strength: Ability to generate some serious pace. Also a wicket-taker at a good economy rate.
Mitchell Starc:
Biggest Strength: Regular Wicket-Taker. Even on flat pitches like Adelaide and Hobart, he can get his team 2-3 wickets.
Possible Playing XI:
David Warner, Aaron Finch, Shane Watson, Steven Smith, George Bailey, Glenn Maxwell, Mitchell Marsh, Brad Haddin, Mitchell Johnson, Mitchell Starc, Pat Cummins
Australia’s Fixtures in ICC World Cup 2015:
|
Match No. |
Date |
Against |
Venue |
Time |
|
1 |
14-2-2015 |
England |
Melbourne |
09:00 IST |
|
2 |
21-2-2015 |
Bangladesh |
Brisbane |
09:00 IST |
|
3 |
28-2-2015 |
New Zealand |
Auckland |
06:30 IST |
|
4 |
4-3-2015 |
Afghanistan |
Perth |
12:00 IST |
|
5 |
8-3-2015 |
Sri Lanka |
Sydney |
09:00 IST |
|
6 |
14-3-2015 |
Scotland |
Hobart |
09:00 IST |