Australian cricket fans will be sweating on the fitness of star bowler Mitchell Starc after the quick failed to finish Australia’s opening T20 World Cup match against Oman in Barbados. In the first ball of his fourth and final over, upon releasing the ball Starc immediately winced in pain and grabbed his calf.
The Aussie fast bowler then hobbled around for a few minutes as he was checked out by the team physio. However, he was unable to continue and was taken from the field in the 15th over. “This is a worrying sign – Australia won’t want to tempt fate here if there’s any type of injury,” Mel McLaughlin proclaimed in commentary for Amazon Prime.
Former England Test captain Nasser Hussain said the decision was likely precautionary as it is not worth risking anything this early in the tournament. “Whether it’s a cramp or he’s tweaked something – a tweak he obviously goes off, but even cramp, in this situation … I would not take a risk in any way.”
Former Australian Test opener Matthew Hayden said the loss of Starc would be devastating to Australia’s hopes of winning the T20 World Cup. “With the kind of form Mitchell Starc has been in, he’s such an important cog in the chain of Australia,” he said. Glenn Maxwell bowled the rest of Starc’s over, with the Aussies going on to win by 39 runs.
Australia will be happy to have just got the win on the board after their first tournament match got off to a worrying start. Australia fell to 3-50 after 8.3 overs when Maxwell’s horror run of form continued as he was dismissed for a golden duck after Oman’s captain Aqib Ilyas took an incredible catch at cover.
Aussie fans were hoping Maxwell could have helped steady the ship after Travis Head (12) and Mitchell Marsh (14) fell relatively cheaply but instead, he was sent straight back to the pavilion. Opener David Warner and Marcus Stoinis got the innings back on the right track, with both racking up half-centuries. Stoinis top-scored with 67 not out to help Australia finish 5-164.
With the ball, Starc got the Aussies off to a great start, trapping Pratik Athavale in front first ball. It was initially given not out but the Aussies successfully reviewed.
From there an Australian win never seemed in doubt, as the Aussies took regular wickets and the required run rate slowly crept out of Oman’s reach. The cricketing minnows ended their 20 overs 9-125, 39 runs short.
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USA stun Pakistan in major T20 World Cup boilover
The T20 World Cup has seen its first major upset of the tournament, as debutants USA humbled 2022 finalists Pakistan. The co-hosts matched Pakistan’s 159 in the regulation 20 overs, thanks to a last-ball boundary, before scoring an incredible 19 in the super over.
Pakistan could only bring up 13 in their respective super over and now head to New York under huge pressure to get a win against India on Sunday. The USA also face India in their next match on Wednesday. Having already toppled Canada if the US manage an unlikely win over India they will qualify for the Super 8 stage.
Speaking after the monumental win against Pakistan, US captain Monank Patel said he is so proud of his team. “It’s a huge achievement. For us to beat Pakistan, we are playing them for the first time, I am just so proud of how we played,” Patel said.
“It was a proper team effort from the first ball until the last. Winning the toss, we knew we had to make sure we utilised conditions and credit to our bowlers for doing that. We knew that 160 was chaseable on this pitch. I am pleased with my innings, happy to contribute but mostly happy to win as a team. As a player, you want to show up for the big occasions and I am delighted to contribute to a winning cause.”