New Delhi – Skipper Steve Smith says Australia are determined to break their World Twenty20 hoodoo and is confident his team’s vast experience of playing in the Indian Premier League (IPL) will give them an edge.
Australia captain Steve Smith speaks to the press in Kolkata on March 12, 2016 © AFP Dibyangshu Sarkar
Australia, five times winers of the World Cup, have been under-performers in the shortest format and their best showing in the tournament has been the runners-up finish in 2010 when they lost the final to England.
“Traditionally we haven’t done as well as we would have liked in this format of the game. This is a tournament that has eluded us so we are here to try and win it,” Smith told reporters in Kolkata at Australia’s opening press conference of the 16-team tournament.
“We feel pretty settled, we have 15 guys who can give this tournament a pretty good shake,” he added.
Smith, who leads the team in all three formats of the game, said Australia will be banking on their allrounders who have recently performed well.
He said inclusion of debutant leg-spinner Adam Zampa in the squad will boost the team’s bowling department on slow Indian tracks.
The 26-year-old skipper said his team will adapt to the conditions quickly and will benefit from their experience in India.
“We know what to expect from the conditions over here. A lot of us have played here before, either in IPL or against India so we know what to expect and we’re ready for the challenge,” the skipper said.
Smith and five of his teammates in the World T20 squad are part of the various IPL franchises and their familiarity with Indian pitches will auger well for them.
Coming into the sixth edition of the tournament after a 2-1 T20 series win against South Africa, the fifth-ranked side will play New Zealand in their opener on Friday.
Australia will play favourites India on March 27 and Smith insisted that there is no added pressure on the side that recently lost the T20 series 0-3 against the MS Dhoni-led side.
“I don’t think there is any pressure. I think playing a world cup… playing in international cricket, there is always lots of pressure. So for us it’s taking each game at a time,” he said.
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Source: Cricket.com.pk
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