Australia’s woeful T20 World Cup campaign lasted less than a fortnight, with the 2021 champions eliminated during the group stage of the tournament for the first time since 2009.
Courtesy of suboptimal preparation and some questionable selection calls, the Australians were the only pre-seeded nation not to qualify for the Super Eight stage, suffering consecutive losses to Zimbabwe and co-hosts Sri Lanka.
Mitchell Marsh’s men ended the pools with a thumping victory over Oman in a dead rubber Kandy, but the consolation win would mean very little to the playing group as they prepare to fly home.
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MITCHELL MARSH — 8
118 runs at 118.00, HS 64*, SR 196.66
After missing Australia’s opening two matches due to a testicular injury, captain Marsh cracked consecutive fifties against Sri Lanka and Oman to finish as the team’s leading run-scorer of the tournament.
His absence in the loss to Zimbabwe was sorely felt.
TRAVIS HEAD — 5
111 runs at 27.75, HS 56, SR 158.57
Head, who led Australia on two occasions in Marsh’s absence, failed to convert his starts into substantial scores across the T20 World Cup.
The South Australian cracked a fifty during his century stand with opening partner Marsh against Sri Lanka, but it was a lone highlight in an otherwise forgettable campaign.
JOSH INGLIS — 5
84 runs at 28.00, HS 37, SR 171.42
Despite a couple of useful contributions with the willow as opener against Ireland and in the middle order against Sri Lanka, Inglis had a worrying knack of giving his wicket away when Australia needed to consolidate.
Trialled in three different positions across the tournament, he remains the country’s premier white-ball gloveman going forward.
CAMERON GREEN — 2
24 runs at 8.00, HS 21, SR 120.00
One wicket at 17.00, BB 1-6, ER 5.36
Green’s dreadful summer continues, with the West Australian under mounting pressure to live up to expectations on the big stage.
Batting at No. 3, his cheap dismissals against Zimbabwe and Sri Lanka would have made national selectors wonder whether they backed the wrong horse with Steve Smith and Matthew Renshaw sitting on the sidelines.
TIM DAVID — 1
Six runs at 3.00, HS 6, SR 85.71
David missed Australia’s tournament opener against Ireland with a hamstring complaint, but he hardly threw a punch after returning to the national side.
His elevation to No. 4 last year proved a masterstroke, but it backfired drastically in losses to Zimbabwe and Ireland last week, dismissed for single figures on both occasions.
MARCUS STOINIS — 5
55 runs at 18.33, HS 45, SR 141.02
Four wickets at 19.75, BB 2-46, ER 8.94
Stoinis got his T20 World Cup campaign off to a promising start after top-scoring during Australia’s tournament opener against Ireland, also unearthing some breakthroughs with the ball.
However, the veteran all-rounder was guilty of reckless shot selection during losses against Zimbabwe and Ireland, dismissed cheaply on both occasions.
MATTHEW RENSHAW — 7
102 runs at 51.00, HS 65, SR 132.46
Added to Australia’s T20 World Cup at the eleventh hour, Renshaw rewarded the selectors’ faith by top-scoring during the Zimbabwe defeat, giving the team a fighting chance after a dreadful top-order collapse.
The decision to drop Renshaw for the Sri Lanka clash came under heavy scrutiny.
GLENN MAXWELL — 4
62 runs at 20.66, HS 31, SR 110.71
The Big Show was a no-show in Sri Lanka, with the veteran’s sluggish Big Bash form carrying through to the T20 World Cup.
The Victorian couldn’t rescue Australia following an early collapse against Zimbabwe, while Friday’s victory over Oman could be his final appearance in the national side.
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BEN DWARSHUIS — 2
Zero wickets, ER 10.00
Dwarshuis was picked ahead of fellow seamer Xavier Bartlett for the Zimbabwe clash, a decision that backfired when the left-armer conceded 40 runs across four wicketless overs.
Finally getting a chance to prove himself in a World Cup in the absence of Mitchell Starc, Dwarshuis wasn’t up to the task.
NATHAN ELLIS — 5
Five wickets at 18.40, BB 4-12, ER 7.16
Leading Australia’s pace cartel in the absence of the ‘big three’, Ellis produced a near-perfect performance in the tournament opener against Ireland, named player of the match.
However, the Tasmanian went wicketless during losses against Zimbabwe and Sri Lanka, a disappointing offering from the crafty seamer.
COOPER CONNOLLY — 3
14 runs at 14.00, HS 11*, SR 116.66
Zero wickets, ER 8.83
Albeit a star in the making, Connolly couldn’t validate his surprise selection for the T20 World Cup, failing to hit a boundary or take a wicket in Sri Lanka.
Despite glimpses of his potential, the 22-year-old’s yet to prove himself on the national stage.
ADAM ZAMPA — 6
Eight wickets at 14.50, BB 4-21, ER 7.56
With four-wicket hauls against Ireland and Oman, Zampa finished the T20 World Cup as Australia’s leading wicket-taker.
But the experienced leg-spinner couldn’t stem the flow of runs in losses to Zimbabwe and Sri Lanka when the Australians needed their best bowler to step up.
MATTHEW KUHNEMANN — 4
One wicket at 53.00, BB 1-29, ER 7.57
A horses-for-courses selection, Kuhnemann accompanied fellow tweaker Zampa for the two matches in Colombo courtesy of his superb record in spinning conditions.
However, the gamble didn’t pay off, with the left-armer going wicketless during the shock loss to Zimbabwe, dropped for Australia’s following two matches in Kandy.
XAVIER BARTLETT — 3
Two wickets at 35.50, BB 2-27, ER 8.87
Bartlett unfortunately couldn’t produce his best in Sri Lanka this week, with the Irish and Sri Lankan openers feasting on his wayward bowling during the Powerplay.
Tasked filling the void left by Josh Hazlewood, it proved a tall order for the young Queenslander, who was making his debut World Cup appearance.