North Sound
Australian pacer Josh Hazlewood finds it odd that their impressive net run-rate from three dominant wins won’t carry over into the Super 8 stage of the T20 World Cup. The ICC organized the tournament with 20 teams divided into four groups of five, with the top two from each group advancing to the Super 8 stage. This differs from the previous format where the top teams started in the Super 12 stage, and the top two from each group progressed to the semifinals.
Australia secured their spot in the Super 8 on Tuesday with a nine-wicket victory over Namibia, boosting their net run rate to +3.580. Hazlewood commented, it’s a bit strange that our net run-rate doesn’t carry forward. This is the first T20 World Cup I’ve played with this setup, and it’s different from previous tournaments.
He added, the work you do in the initial rounds, even if you go undefeated with a high net run rate, doesn’t count much once you’re in the Super Eights.
Hazlewood was a standout in Tuesday’s match, along with spinner Adam Zampa, who took four wickets, bringing his tournament tally to eight. When asked if Zampa is underrated, Hazlewood praised the leg-spinner, saying, we certainly value him within the team. His importance is evident in both one-day and T20 cricket, especially in big tournaments and crucial games.
