Did most Australian cricket fans decide not to turn up to the T20 World Cup? Yes the many local Indian and Pakistani supporters totally turned up to their games. However, for an international tournament the turnout at Australian games was kind of low.
Was it the weather? Rain has been about. For a country that has droughts that last a decades rain is a surprise. But his much rain? Rain that brings flooding across most of south eastern Australia had to be a reason. Countryfolk love coming to the cricket and the football, did their absence affect crowd size?
The Australian team did under perform. Which was not a surprise. India not making the final was not that surprising. Ok it was, but India have not won the T20 crown since 2007, the first T20 World Cup. Is it the coaching? Or, is the shortest version of the game levelling the playing field?
Aussie Coaching Flavour
Coaching is an interesting facet of this T20 World Cup. Interesting as that both finalists had Australians in their coaching panels. Pakistan had Matthew Hayden and Shaun Tait. England’s T20 and One Day coach is Matthew Mott.
Matthew who? Matthew Mott played first class cricket for Victoria and Queensland. He has coached the New South Wales Blues, and Glamorgan. After which Mott became the Australian Women’s Cricket coach.
There is a lot of winning in those teams. A lot of winning that England saw and hired Mott for. England have now I succession won both One Day and T20 World Cup’s. Was it the coaching? We can be sure the coaching did not hurt their chances. Despite England’s win being almost a close call.
Pakistan Were Close
With 10 overs to go Pakistan were still a chance to win. Having dismissed openers Hale and Captain Joss Buttler, Pakistan were in the game. Coming back from the brink has been Pakistan’s story this tournament. Always on the edge of elimination. Yet they made it to the semi-finals.
Pakistan had to face one of the favourites, New Zealand the team that lost to Australia in 2021. Pakistan won. No one thought they would. Well this person writing did not think it was possible. T20 games are on a knife edge, Pakistan won by one run.
Unfortunately the Final was not the same for Pakistan. England were able to restrict to Pakistan 137/8. Neither Mohammad Rizwan nor Babar Azam were able to make the runs required. Yet when England batted their openers were unable to dominate the game too.
Ben Stokes vs Shaheen Afridi
Enter Ben Stokes. If not for Stokes measured innings England would have fallen short. Unfortunately Pakistan’s bowling trump card Shaheen Shah Afridi was injured taking the catch to dismiss Jos Buttler.
Yes, Shadab Khan was good and Harris Rauf was brilliant again at the MCG. Unfortunately the bowling from Nassem Shah and Mohammed Wasim was not tight enough. Too many short pitched balls giving away free runs.
Afridi tried to bowl later, only able to bowl one ball. The rest of the over was bowled by Iftikar Ahmed which went for 13 runs. Perhaps with Afridi hurling thunderbolts for four full overs Pakistan could have won. England lead by Stokes made the target with an over to spare.
The Gap Closes
Despite England winning and the finalists being test playing nations the gap is shortening. Former T20 winner West Indies did not make the final 12. South Africa were beaten by the Netherlands. Ironically with players born in South Africa.
More importantly England lost to Ireland. In a rain affected match in Australia that was decided via Duckworth/Lewis. Ireland also took Australia close to the edge, so did Afghanistan. That gap between the so called minnows and the test playing nations is getting closer and closer.
The next T20 World Cup is in Canada and the USA. Some may see this as another shot at getting cricket into the US market. There is really no need to pander to that market. The many immigrant families from fanatic cricketing nations are already there. Just wait for the hype as a player is touted as “America’s answer to Kohli” appears in 2024.