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Shane Watson has backed skilled all-rounder Glenn Maxwell to shine within the ICC Champions Trophy because the Aussies eye their third event title.
Glenn Maxwell is anticipated to dominate within the ICC Champions Trophy 2025 by Shane Watson. (Picture: AFP)
Former Australia cricketer Shane Watson has backed skilled all-rounder Glenn Maxwell to shine within the ICC Champions Trophy because the Aussies eye their third event title.
Regardless of being 36 years outdated and with over 250 worldwide caps throughout all three codecs, Maxwell’s latest type within the Large Bash League, the place he was one of many two Gamers of the Collection, has led Watson to consider that his finest cricket continues to be forward of him.
Australia, the reigning 50-over World Cup champions and at present second within the ODI rankings, are set to face England. Nevertheless, with just one win of their final 5 ODIs and key bowlers Pat Cummins, Josh Hazlewood, and Mitchell Starc absent from the squad, issues have arisen about their means to reclaim the trophy in Pakistan.
However, Watson, a two-time ICC Males’s Champions Trophy winner and one of many 4 Occasion Ambassadors for the 2025 version, is assured that Australia will stay a formidable staff, particularly if their explosive all-rounder delivers.
“The stand-out participant for me is Glenn Maxwell. With what I’ve seen just lately, particularly within the Large Bash, I consider he has a few of his finest cricket in entrance of him throughout the subsequent two or three years, and I might be very stunned if he doesn’t dominate this Champions Trophy,” ICC quoted Watson as saying.
“He had that unbelievable innings towards Afghanistan within the ICC Males’s Cricket World Cup 2023, the place he scored a double century, however he has struggled to be constant at occasions. That’s the character of his position within the staff.
“Nevertheless, it now simply feels prefer it has all fallen into place for him, and that’s with every little thing in his life, not simply his cricket, so I believe he’ll play a pivotal half.
“I believe Australia will probably be very exhausting to beat, even when their bowling squad isn’t fairly as skilled as they may in any other case have been,” he added.
The previous all-rounder was a part of the Australia staff that was topped champions within the 2006 Champions Trophy, hitting 57 not out to assist them to an eight-wicket win towards West Indies within the ultimate.
He then scored a century in each the semi-final and ultimate in 2009 and hit the successful runs as Australia retained their trophy in South Africa.
The absence of the tempo trio of Cummins, Hazlewood and Starc, who’re lacking resulting from a mixture of harm and private causes, opens the door to a special crop of Australian bowlers, headed by Nathan Ellis and Spencer Johnson with Sean Abbott essentially the most skilled quick bowler with 26, and Watson is assured they’ll take their alternative.
“It’s important to be at your absolute best on this occasion, with this format – you need to hit the bottom sprinting, not to mention operating,” he mentioned.
“Spencer Johnson doesn’t swing it a lot however the ball flies out of his hand, he’s fast, he’s tall, he will get bounce and it’s lovely to see how simple it he finds it to bowl on the speeds he does. It’s a terrific alternative for him.
“Sean Abbott has at all times completed a very nice job. He’s nice with the older ball, the best way he releases it, and has nice pace. After which there’s Nathan Ellis, who is very expert and massively under-rated in worldwide cricket. He’s a identified drive in franchise cricket and does a terrific job however I believe this could possibly be his breakout 12 months in worldwide cricket, so I’m excited to see how he goes.
“They could be inexperienced as a gaggle in internationals, however these quicks have all performed high-pressure cricket within the Large Bash and different T20 tournaments – they know how you can execute below stress.”
Australia open their Group B marketing campaign towards England in Lahore on Saturday, earlier than taking part in South Africa in Rawalpindi on February 25 and Afghanistan again in Lahore on February 28.
(This story has not been edited by News18 workers and is revealed from a syndicated information company feed – IANS)
- Location :
Lahore, Pakistan