Australian wicketkeeper-batsman Alex Carey believes that the present Australian World Cup squad has enough experience that will help the side during the high-pressure moments in the upcoming Cricket World Cup.
The record five-time World Cup winners Australia will participate in the upcoming tournament as the defending champions. Among the 15-member Team Australia squad for the forthcoming tournament, six players featured in the previous edition of the Cricket World Cup (2015). They are the present captain Aaron Finch, David Warner, Steven Smith, Glenn Maxwell, Mitchell Starc and Pat Cummins.
Moreover, the fielding coach Brad Haddin was the wicketkeeper-batsman in the last Cricket World Cup. Also, Ricky Ponting is their present assistant coach, who experienced three Cricket World Cup victories, including two as a captain.
Alex Carey recently claimed, “We’ve got a lot of knowledge. Brad Haddin played in the last World Cup, we’ve got Ricky Ponting coming in, we’ve got a number of players who played in that last World Cup.
“We’ve got lots of knowledge around the group of guys to access. When we get into it, that’s when the high-pressure [experience] comes into it.”
We have got a certain game style which has been successful in the last eight games – Alex Carey
Australian national cricket team had some tough times in the last 12 months. However, recently, they have played some brilliant cricket and that resulted in their three consecutive limited-overs series victories on the Asian soil. Australia has won all their last eight ODIs which will give them enough confidence at the beginning of their new Cricket World Cup journey.
Carey reveals that they are currently focusing on their own cricket style rather than thinking about opposition’s game style.
Talking about this, Carey said, “We have got a certain game style which has been successful in the last eight games, against quality opposition. For us, it is playing to our strengths. Every team in the World Cup has got their strengths. We aren’t too much about opposition’s game style. That’s where we get distracted from what we are really good at.
“So for us, it’s building on our success in the last few months. David [Warner] and Steve [Smith] come back in. Quality players. Aaron Finch is in really good form. Our quicks [are in good form as well]. We got a lot of exciting players.”
The first game is where we want to hit our straps – Alex Carey
England and Wales are ready to organise the 2019 ICC Men’s Cricket World Cup from 30th May to 14th July.
Ahead of the upcoming Cricket World Cup, every participating team will play two pre-World Cup warm-up matches in England. Australia will also follow the same preparation as they will face England and Sri Lanka in these warm-up matches.
On 25th May, Australia will meet the host side England at Rose Bowl (Southampton). Later, on 27th May, Australia will play against Sri Lanka at the same venue (Rose Bowl, Southampton).
Then, Australia will begin their upcoming Cricket World Cup journey on 1st June. On that day, the defending champions will face Afghanistan at County Ground (Bristol). Carey is confident of their good start in the forthcoming Cricket World Cup.
He stated, “We will start planning. We have warm-up games as well, which will be part of our build-up. A lot of us have played against a number of their [Afghanistan’s] players. The first game is where we want to hit our straps. They will be keen to start the tournament well, and so are we.”
At the end of the Group stage of 2019 CWC, the top-four teams will qualify for the semi-finals.