T20 World Cup: Eliminating England Is In Australia’s Best Interests, Says Josh Hazlewood

Australia fast-bowler Josh Hazlewood said the chance to knock out defending champions England out of the 2024 T20 World Cup would be in the best interest of the side as well as for the other teams in the competition. His comments come after Australia chased down Namibia’s 72 in just 5.4 overs to remain unbeaten in the tournament and secure their qualification for the Super Eight stage. They now need a narrow win over Scotland to ensure England are out of the competition even if the Jos Buttler-led side wins over Namibia and Oman.

“In this tournament, you potentially come up against England at some stage again. As I said, they’re probably one of the top few teams. We’ve had some real struggles against them in T20 cricket.

“If we can get them out of the tournament then that’s in our best interests as well as probably everyone else’s. It’s a weird thing to say. I’ve never really been in this position before as a team. I don’t think so. Whether we have discussions or not, we just try and play it again the way we did tonight. Again, that’ll be up to people, not me,” said Hazlewood in the post-match press conference.

He also said it would be strange that Australia don’t get to carry forward their high net run rate of 3.580 from their Group B campaign to the Super Eight stage. “It’s a little bit strange it (net run rate) doesn’t go through the tournament. This is the first World Cup I’ve played that’s been set up this way. It’s a bit different.”

“The work you do in the round games, if you go through undefeated and have a good net run rate, it doesn’t really count for much once you’re in the Super Eights. It’s a strange one but that’s how it is,” said Hazlewood.

With the Super Eight qualification sealed, Australia have the room to rotate their players in their final Group B game against Scotland in St Lucia on June 16. Mitchell Starc missed the match against Namibia due to calf soreness, giving pacer Nathan Ellis his second game for the tournament. Cameron Green, Ashton Agar and Josh Inglis are also waiting to feature in the competition.

“It’s up to the coaches and the captain and the selectors, but I think quite a few of us … might have a rest. I haven’t been playing so I’m still keen to get out there and still work on a couple of things.

“But the guys have been playing IPL, so potentially one or two of those (could miss). But it hasn’t been a gruelling schedule. A game every three or four days isn’t too tough in T20 cricket. I think it would be up to, almost up to the individual in that regard,” concluded Hazlewood, who missed IPL 2024 due to the birth of his first child.

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