NEW DELHI: Australian cricket captain Pat Cummins has expressed his team's determination to carry forward their recent aggressive batting and bowling performances as they prepare to face arch-rivals New Zealand in the One-Day International Cricket World Cup in Dharamsala.
Australia, entering the quadrennial tournament as one of the favorites, endured a sluggish start with losses to host nation India in their opening match, followed by a defeat to the in-form South African team. With six points from five matches, they currently sit fourth in the standings, aiming for their fourth consecutive victory following a dominant win over the Netherlands in their previous game to inch closer to a spot in the semi-finals.
Speaking to reporters, Cummins emphasized their team's focus on playing the style they've set as a goal. He acknowledged that in the initial two games, not only did they fail to secure wins, but they also couldn't effectively execute their desired style of play. However, in their recent matches, Australia displayed a more aggressive approach, both in batting and bowling.
Cummins elaborated on the changes they've implemented, saying, "Bowling - everyone's been really open-minded, tried different things; trying bounces, different fields, one over spells, and it's just been a real buy-in from the whole team, and yeah, it's been fantastic in the last few games. That's a standard we want to keep going with for the rest of the tournament."
New Zealand, currently occupying the third spot in the tournament standings, suffered their only loss against India. They've secured victories over reigning champions England, the Netherlands, Bangladesh, and Afghanistan.
Pat Cummins acknowledged the familiarity between the two teams, with players on each side having shared the field on various occasions. This familiarity, he said, only intensifies their desire to win. "So, yeah, if anything, it makes you want to beat your mates even more. But yeah, it'll be intense out there."
The captain also mentioned that the availability of Travis Head and Marcus Stoinis for the match would be determined after assessing their condition later on Friday, adding an element of anticipation to the critical clash between the rivals.
(With inputs from Reuters)
