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Australia enter the World Cup on the back of a rough fortnight, a string of injuries and that 3-0 loss in Pakistan still fresh. Yet captain Mitchell Marsh was calm when he met the media in Colombo ahead of tomorrow’s opener against Ireland.
“We take lessons and we move on,” he said. “The word adaptability has been thrown around in our team meetings so far and just adapt to whatever situation is put in front of us and get the job done.”
Facts first
• Pakistan won 3-0, handing Australia their heaviest T20I defeat – a 111-run drubbing in Lahore.
• Starc has retired, Cummins is out with a back problem, Hazlewood is nursing an Achilles–hamstring issue.
• Ben Dwarshuis replaces Cummins, Xavier Bartlett is set to share the new ball with Nathan Ellis.
• Tim David will miss the opener but should return against Zimbabwe.
Missing the ‘big three’
This will be the first ICC event since 2016 without Mitchell Starc, Pat Cummins or Josh Hazlewood in the XI. Marsh, though, feels the newer bowlers have already done the apprenticeship.
“Yeah, look, guys like Patty have played a lot for us over the last few years due to his hectic schedule, and over the last 12 months guys like Benny Dwarshuis and Xavier Bartlett have played pretty much all of our games,” he pointed out. “So we’ve got great confidence that they’ve been able to do a role for us.”
Dwarshuis offers a left-arm option; Bartlett has the extra pace. Ellis’ cutters could be handy on slower Sri Lankan surfaces. The collective experience is thin, but the captain insists the group of 18-20 players used over the past year has given the coaching staff a clear picture of roles.
Spin worries from Lahore
Australia’s batting against spin was exposed in Pakistan, and the pitches in Kandy and Colombo are not expected to be friendlier. Marsh accepted that the line-up must “be really clear on how you’re going to go about it and playing what’s in front of you”. Training sessions this week featured long nets against Ashton Agar and Tanveer Sangha, plus a local left-arm wrist-spinner hired as throw-down support.
Positives in the pack
There is confidence, too. Most of the middle-order – Travis Head, Glenn Maxwell, Marcus Stoinis – have played in the Lanka Premier League or the IPL in similar conditions. A short tournament can flip quickly; two good games and Australia are in the last four.
Aakash Chopra, speaking on a World Cup preview show, believes the side is still dangerous. “Australia have the power to cross 200 regularly,” he said, noting that Head and Maxwell can take down any attack on their day.
David’s return timetable
Tim David has batted in the nets but the physios want one more fielding session before clearing him. Marsh confirmed the plan: “We’ll certainly see him come back into the competition in the next one.” For Ireland, Matthew Wade is likely to finish the innings with the bat, while Aaron Hardie gives seam-bowling cover.
Eyes on Ireland, not Pakistan
The skipper was asked – several times – about the Pakistan whitewash. Each time he deflected. “We were outplayed by Pakistan. We’ve left it there,” he repeated. Instead, the messaging is simple: adjust, stay positive, and start well. Ireland upset England in Melbourne two years ago, so nobody is taking the fixture lightly.
Quiet confidence, lingering questions
On paper, Australia still pack hitting power and a varied attack. Reality, though, is they arrive under-done, minus three senior quicks and with a recent bruising behind them. Which narrative wins out will depend on how quickly Marsh’s men live their buzzword.
“Look, I think we certainly want to be positive in the way we go about things,” Marsh said as he wrapped up. “I think in these conditions, it’s just about being really clear on how you’re going to go about it.”
The first answers come tomorrow night at the R. Premadasa.
