After being unsold during the IPL 2024 auction, Josh Hazlewood expects more game time for the preparations for the upcoming T20 World Cup 2024.
Hazlewood expects more game time for World Cup Preparations
Cricket Australia has revealed that Josh Hazlewood expects more game time in the National side to prepare for the World Cup. He went unsold during the IPL 2024 auction as he revealed that he would be only for half of the tournament.
On this occasion, the player thinks that playing on the national side is the only probable option to get ready for the marquee event. Australia has now 6 T20Is in hand before they set to compete in the World Cup.
Hazlewood expects to field a full-strength squad for the upcoming T20I series against New Zealand. Most of his teammates including Pat Cummins and Mitchell Starc set to head up to the IPL for the two tests which are played after the New Zealand T20Is.
Cummins and Starc are the most expensive players in the IPL 2024 auction bought by Hyderabad and Kolkata franchises. Starc hasn’t played in the Indian domestic league since 2015.
13 members of Australia’s T20 squad will be participating in the Indian Premier League 2024. However, Hazlewood is still hopeful of securing a spot in the India Premier League 2024.
He was included in the second ODI match which was played on February 04 in his hometown.
He scored 43 runs in his first appearance after playing in the ODI World Cup 2023 finals. He was one of Australia’s pace trios who is set to play in the T20I series on West Indies’ tour of Australia 2024.
“I think it’ll be full strength for that New Zealand series, they’re quality side in particular over there and the Test team looks outstanding as well,” told Hazlewood. “That’s going to be a tough couple of weeks over there in New Zealand.”
“With missing IPL … I want to play as much as I can now and then put the feet up for April.”
“It’s three games in five days, for the young kids to play three international games in that space with travel, they thought it was a bit tough,” he said.
“One-day cricket is very taxing on the body and it’s a step up from Big Bash in terms of overs and intensity so (the break) will suit them nicely.
“So I just came in for this game, give a few guys a breather, and then they come back in for Canberra, so it’s worked nicely and hopefully the boys go well again on Tuesday.
“I’ve seen a lot of them in Big Bash, a lot of them in domestic cricket and I just think their work ethic was great, (as well as) ‘X’ (Bartlett) last game and Lance so it’s good for them to get a taste of international cricket at these grounds and they all deserve it.”
Australia will be playing their third ODI match against West Indies on February 06 at Manuka Oval.
