Eliminating England from T20 World Cup was a throwaway line: Mitchell Starc

16/06/2024

NEW DELHI: Following Australia's five-wicket victory over Scotland to close out Group B in the 2024 Men's T20 World Cup, fast-bowling spearhead Mitchell Starc maintained that Josh Hazlewood's statement that it would be best for Australia to eliminate England was a quip that the media exaggerated.

"I think a throwaway line has been blown right out of proportion by you lot. You don't stuff around with mother cricket and trying to worry about other results. We're here to win games. It's international cricket.

T20 WORLD CUP: SCHEDULE | POINTS TABLE"England now are on the other side of the draw, so it really doesn't make that much difference for the next three games. So yeah, I think that was blown right out of proportion by you guys," said Starc in the post-match press conference, according to IANS.

He continued by saying that he did not think it was great when teams in the Super Eights started from the scratch. "I think there's a big question to be asked about the pre-seeding, I'm not sure I'm a fan of that."

At the Daren Sammy National Cricket Stadium, Australia chased down 181 in 19.4 overs, despite the required run rate creeping up to 14 at one point. Tim David made 24 off 14 balls, while Marcus Stoinis shone with a match-winning 29-ball 59.

"We've got phenomenal power in our middle, well right through our order really. But when you've got Stoin and TD and even (Matthew) Wade in the middle there, they haven't had too many things to do the first few games. So, to have a good hit tonight or to get us home with the run rate going up a little bit and maybe being a comparatively a slowish start, it was good to get some time into those guys.

"But Stoin obviously did it for us. He got us going in the first game against Oman, against England, his ball striking in his second half of the innings was phenomenal. So, he's in great touch which is good for us heading into the pointy end. But I don't think, with as good as the wicket was, the rate probably didn't get out of hand with the power that we've gotten as yet," stated Starc.

What would have concerned Australia is the six catches they shelled and allowed Scotland to post 180/5 in their 20 overs. "We certainly were off the mark in the field with the dropped catches and probably some other areas that were a little bit sloppy as well.

"So good to get that stuff out of the way now and now we're into the pointy end. It didn't feel different. It's still a World Cup game and we're still playing for Australia so we're still trying to take wickets and win games," added Starc.

Australia rested Hazlewood and Pat Cummins during the match against Scotland, allowing Ashton Agar, an all-rounder with left-arm spin, to bowl four overs for the first time in this T20 World Cup. As he concluded, Starc stated that Australia anticipated spin to be a significant factor in the competition, which is why they decided to give Agar some playing time.

"We were in a position where we had plenty of options on the table. We had a chance to rest the two big boys (Hazlewood and Cummins) and get some game time into Ash. We have another game here (against India) in the Super Eight, so (it was about) getting accustomed to or having a look at conditions here as well.

"Having some batting time into our middle order and some of our spinners obviously getting some time in different situations in the bowling innings, it was a good hit out. That was all we wanted and then we push onto the Super Eights," he concluded.

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