(Reuters) – Australia’s captain, Pat Cummins, stated on Friday that the team aims to continue their aggressive batting and bowling strategies in the One-Day International Cricket World Cup match against traditional rivals New Zealand in Dharamsala. Starting the tournament as one of the favorites, Australia faced a slow start with consecutive losses to host India and an in-form South African side. With six points from five matches, Australia currently sits in fourth place in the standings and seeks their fourth consecutive victory to secure a spot in the semi-finals. In their previous game, Australia triumphed over the Netherlands.
In a press conference, Cummins discussed the team’s approach and the need to play according to their desired style. He acknowledged that in the first two games, they not only failed to win but also did not effectively execute their intended style of play. Cummins highlighted the team’s recent performances and emphasized the increased aggression they have shown in both batting and bowling.
Cummins commended the team’s openness to new ideas and approaches, with different strategies being explored such as utilizing bounces, implementing various field placements, and experimenting with one-over spells. He noted the team’s unity in embracing these changes and described the last few games as fantastic. Cummins expressed the desire to maintain this level of performance throughout the tournament.
New Zealand, currently in third place, has only suffered one defeat in the competition so far, against India. They have achieved victories over reigning champions England, the Netherlands, Bangladesh, and Afghanistan. Cummins acknowledged the relationship between the Australian and New Zealand players, stating that some of them are good friends. He highlighted that this familiarity adds an extra competitive edge to the match, increasing the determination to defeat their friends on the field.
Cummins also mentioned the uncertainty regarding the availability of Travis Head and Marcus Stoinis for the match. Their participation will be assessed later in the day.
Reporting by Pearl Josephine Nazare in Bengaluru; Editing by Michael Perry
