T20 World Cup 2024: SWOT Analysis of Australia Cricket Team

It would not be wrong to say that the Australian team is one of the strongest teams when it comes to the ICC events as the Men in Yellow have clinched 6 World Cup titles so far, 5 in 50 overs and 1, in 20 overs format. However, despite players not being in their best form and suffering from injuries just before the start of the tournament, the Australian team and players performed brilliantly every time in ICC events, which makes them one of the best teams in the World. After winning the ICC Men’s ODI World Cup last year in India, the confidence of the Kangaroos will be very high to lift their 2nd ICC Men’s T20 World Cup trophy after 2021 in the ongoing ICC Men’s T20 World Cup. But do you know, there are certain points and loopholes, just like every team in the Australian team. Through this article, we are going to do the SWOT (Strengths, Weaknesses, Opportunities and Threats) analysis of the Kangaroos, which they should look out for in their team for the ICC Men’s T20 World Cup 2024.

Australia have already made it into the Super 8’s stage of the World Cup 2024 after remaining undefeated in the group stage of the marquee event and getting 8 points in 4 games. The Australian team will be playing their first match of the Super 8 stage against the Indian team, who are heading into the tournament by being one of the favourites after winning in their 3-back-to-back games of the group stage. It will be a really interesting contest to watch out for both the teams as they will be playing against each other in the marquee event after the ICC Men’s Cricket World Cup final in 2023, where Pat Cummins and Co. defeated the Indian team in the finals at Ahmedabad by 6 wickets.

SWOT Analysis of the Australian team

Strengths 

Australia has one of the strongest opening pair combinations in their team, who have got a lot of experience playing on the big stage, which one of them showed last year while scoring a hundred against the Indian team in the finals of the ICC Men’s 2023 World Cup. With Travis Head's carnage and David Warner’s class, the Men in Yellow opening pair looked dangerous before the start of the tournament and one thing we shouldn’t forget! Travis Head is coming into this event after playing 2 months of non-stop cricket in the 17th edition of the Indian Premier League, where he has scored the most runs in IPL from Hyderabad-based franchise, which also includes 1 hundred and 4 half-centuries to his name. However, his opening pair, David Warner, was seen struggling with form during the start of the season and after getting injured, he was given rest for the second half of the tournament, but we shouldn’t forget while looking at the age of Warner it might be his last World Cup for the Australian team and Warner will try to make it special by playing a crucial role for the Baggy Greens.

If we look at the performance of David Warner and Travis Head so far in the tournament, they have scored more than 100 runs, with an average of 29 and 49 respectively, having 1-1 half-centuries to their name. So, looking at the above stats and records, Australia’s opening pair is one of their strengths in the ongoing event, which they will try to carry forward in the crucial match against Men in Blue.

Weaknesses

If we have to talk about one weakness in the Australian team is the poor form of their middle-order batter, who has been struggling with form since the start of the tournament.

Glenn Maxwell, who has been considered one of the biggest match-winners for the Australian team over the years is unable to show his magic till now in the shortest format of the game whether it’s in International cricket or T20 cricket, the star all-rounder has been coming into the tournament after playing a 2 month of non-stop cricket in the concluded 17th edition of the Indian Premier League from the Bangalore-based franchise. However, after playing initial games, he asked the team management to take a mental breath.

Meanwhile, the Australian captain, Mitchell Marsh, is heading to the marquee event after the hamstring injury he faced while playing in the Indian Premier League from the Delhi Capitals franchise and his performance with the bat and bowl has not been up to the mark in 4 games so far of the tournament. If Australia wants to lift their 2nd ICC Men's T20 World Cup trophy, they need to make some changes in their middle order before the start of the main matches.

Opportunities

The Australian team have gone with 3 spinners in their 15-men squad for the ongoing ICC Men’s T20 World Cup 2024 having Ashton Agar, Adama Zampa and Glenn Maxwell as the spin options that will definitely benefit in the slow and turning track of Carribean. These Trio spin wizards can play a crucial role in upcoming matches against the top teams.

Threats

Australia’s pace bowler Mitchell Starc and in-form batsman Marcus Stoinis, who are coming out in the tournament after an impressive performance in Indian Premier League (IPL), their respective teams will be a threat to other teams in the upcoming games as it will be easy to adapt the conditions of the shorter format of the game.

Mitchell Starc played a crucial role in the Knight Riders team winning the 17th edition of the Indian Premier League by picking 17 wickets in 14 games with an efficient economy of 10, conceding just 444 runs while bowling 41.5 overs. Meanwhile, Marcus Stoicis continued his outstanding IPL form in the ICC Men’s T20 World Cup and played a crucial knock against Oman when the Australian team were 5 wickets down, which helped them to win the match.

Marcus Stoinis is the leading run-scorer from the Australian team after scoring 156 runs in 4 matches with an average of 78, having 2 half-centuries to his name.