Australia World Cup-winning pacer Josh Hazlewood wants to play more T20 games in the lead-up to the 2024 T20 World Cup in the West Indies and the USA, as he would miss the Indian Premier League after being unsold in the IPL auction.
After four seasons of consecutive play in a cash-rich league, Hazlewood went unsold at the auction for the 2024 edition of the competition. The 33-year-old is likely to play a crucial role for Australia in the T20 World Cup later this year, given his recent brilliance in the shorter format of the game.
Speaking to Cricket.com.au, Josh Hazlewood said that he wants to play as many games as possible with him not playing the IPL, that Australia would field a full-strength squad for the New Zealand series, and that he expects a closely contested series in the neighbouring country.
“With missing IPL… I want to play as much as I can now and then put the feet up for April.
“I think it’ll be full strength for that New Zealand series, they’re a quality side in particular over there and the Test team looks outstanding as well. That’s going to be a tough couple of weeks over there in New Zealand,” Josh Hazelwood said.
Hazlewood is currently playing in a three-match ODI series against the West Indies, in which Australia has already built a 2-0 lead. After playing against the West Indies, Australia will travel to New Zealand to play three Twenty20 Internationals and two Tests in Wellington, Auckland, and Christchurch.
For The Young Kids To Play Three International Games In That Space With Travel Was A Bit Tough – Josh Hazlewood
Josh Hazlewood praised Xavier Bartlett, Lance Morris, Will Sutherland, and Aaron Hardie for their recent efforts for Australia. However, he supported the decision not to play them in every match in the series.
“It’s three games in five days, for the young kids to play three international games in that space with travel, they thought it was a bit tough,” Josh Hazlewood added.
It is reported that Josh Hazlewood would be unavailable for at least the first part of next season because he is expecting his first kid in March, which could be the reason why he was unsold in the IPL auction. Pat Cummins, Mitchell Starc, and Josh Hazelwood are expected to be frontline pacers for the New Zealand series.