Can Mitchell Marsh Lead Australia Towards 2024 T20 World Cup Win? Check Details

After being crowned as the World Test Championship and ODI World Cup 2023 champions, Australia have once again been phenomenal in the ongoing 9th edition of the ICC Men's T20 World Cup 2024 being hosted in the West Indies and United States of America (USA). Australia have already qualified for the Super 8 stage of the mega event after coming out unbeaten in the opening round. The Mitchell Marsh-led team have registered impressive back-to-back victories against Oman, England, Namibia and Scotland in this tournament so far. Incidentally, Australia won their maiden ICC T20 World Cup trophy in 2021 when they defeated New Zealand in the finals. In this blog piece, we analyze on Australia's chances to win the T20 World Cup 2024. 

Can Mitchell Marsh lead Australia towards 2024 T20 World Cup Win? 

Australia are currently placed in the Group 1 of the Super 8 stage in this 2024 ICC Men's T20 World Cup alongside the likes of India, Afghanistan and Bangladesh. The 2021 champions hold a huge advantage in this second round as they have played all of their first four matches in the West Indies conditions. Therefore, they will have some good amount of experience about the weather, pitch and overall playing conditions at these West Indies cricket grounds. Australia need to win atleast two of their 3 matches in the Super 8s of this ongoing T20I tournament in order to qualify for the semi-finals. 

While talking about their playing combination, the opening pair of Travis Head and David Warner have come up with decent performances at the top. In the first match against Oman, Warner managed to score a half-century after his team lost some early wickets. He stitched a fine partnership alongside Marcus Stoinis in the middle-order. On the other hand, the in-form Travis Head has been a vital clog of Australia cricket team success in this competition. The swashbuckling Aussie opener is placed at the fifth position in the list of leading run-getters this season. He has smashed a total of 148 runs at an average of close to 50 that includes a half-century as well. 

Australian captain Mitchell Marsh is yet to score a single fifty in this ongoing T20 World Cup 2024 so far. He has not been at his best with the bat and was not fit to bowl in the recently concluded first round due to some injury issues. The Aussie team management will also be hoping that their premier all-rounder Glenn Maxwell comes good in this Super 8 stage of the competition after a poor performance especially with the bat in the opening round. 

Without much of doubt, seam-bowling all-rounder Marcus Stoinis has been Australia's best performer especially in the batting department in these West Indies conditions. He is the third highest run-scorer in the ongoing World Cup with a fine tally of 156 runs from as many as three innings at an amazing average of 78 that includes a couple of half-centuries as well. Stoinis also took three vital wickets with the ball in the game against Oman. The services of Tim David and wicket-keeper Matthew Wade has not been required except for the former finishing off the proceedings in the match against Scotland. 

On the other hand, Australia have been really impressive so far in this tournament with the ball as they have picked up a total of 30 wickets from as many as four matches against Namibia, Oman, England and Scotland. For Australia, right-arm legspinner Adam Zampa has taken a total of 9 wickets from 4 matches. Zampa came up with a stunning bowling performance in the crucial group stage clash against arch-rivals England having scalped as mnay as two wickets and gave away 28 runs in his quota of four overs. He picked up four wickets against Namibia as they got bowled out for a paltry score of 72 runs. The trio of Mitchell Starc, Jos Hazlewood and Pat Cummins have also been superb in the pace bowling department. 

While talking about their schedule in the Super 8 stage, Australia are scheduled to face Bangladesh on 21 June, 2024 at the Sir Vivian Richards Stadium in North Sound, Antigua. The Mitchell Marsh-led team will then be playing Afghanistan at the Arnos Vale Ground in Kingstown, St Vincent on 23 June, 2024. However, the cricket news world is waiting for the blockbuster India vs Australia match scheduled on 24 June, 2024 at the Daren Sammy National Cricket Stadium in Gros Islet, St Lucia.