Australia vs West Indies. (Photo Source: X(Twitter)
Australia are undoubtedly the most successful team in the history of cricket. Their men’s senior team have won a total of 10 ICC titles, which is the most by any team. Blessed with quality captains and players over the years, the Men in Yellow are strong contenders to win any major tournament irrespective of the format.
However, it took 15 years for the Kangaroos to add a T20 World Cup title to their overflowing trophy cabinet. Their only success in the premier 20-over tournament came in the 2021 edition when they beat New Zealand in the final in Dubai. The ninth World Cup edition is just around the corner and the 15-man squad led by Mitchell Marsh will travel to USA/West Indies in search of their second title.
Let’s take a look at Australia’s T20 World Cup history
T20 World Cup 2007, South Africa
Australia had a nightmarish start to their T20 World Cup 2007 campaign, losing to minnows Zimbabwe by five wickets. Despite losing two more group matches, they managed to enter the semi-finals. However, the team led by Adam Gilchrist lost by 15 runs to the champions India. Opener Matthew Hayden was the tournament’s top scorer with 265 runs, while right-arm pacer Stuart Clark was the second-highest wicket-taker with 12 wickets.
T20 World Cup 2009, England
Another awful start for Australia as they lost to West Indies by seven wickets. Ricky Ponting and Co. suffered yet another defeat against Sri Lanka, resulting in their early exit from the tournament. Opening batter David Warner was the top-scorer for the team with 63 runs. Right-arm pacer Brett Lee topped the wicket-takers list with 3 scalps.
Also Read: England’s T20 World Cup history from 2007-2024: Stats, Records milestones, and more
T20 World Cup 2010, West Indies
After a forgettable outing in the 2009 World Cup, Australia returned as a strong unit in the subsequent edition and played their maiden final. Led by Michael Clarke, Australia started their campaign with an impressive 34-run win over Pakistan. They went on to win five more games in a row, including the semi-finals.
However, a seven-wicket loss to England in the final ended their dream run without the desired conclusion. Mike Hussey was the highest run-scorer for Australia with 188 runs, while Dirk Nannes finished as the tournament’s highest wicket-taker with 14 scalps.
T20 World Cup 2012, Sri Lanka
Another remarkable run for Australia, but their search for a trophy continues. This time the team is led by George Bailey and they started with a seven-wicket win over Ireland. Despite losing to Pakistan twice (once in the group stage and the other in the Super 8s), they managed to enter the semi-finals.
However, they were knocked out by a massive 74-run defeat to the eventual winners of the tournament, the West Indies. Despite Australia not reaching the final, all-rounder Shane Watson was adjudged Player of the Series for finishing as the tournament’s leading run-scorer (249) and wicket-taker (11).
T20 World Cup 2014, Bangladesh
Australia had an underwhelming campaign at the 2014 World Cup, winning just one match and failing to qualify for the knockout stages. Their lone win was against Bangladesh by seven wickets, which helped end their journey on a positive note. Opener Aaron Finch was the team’s top scorer with 158 runs while left-arm pacer Mitchell Starc led the bowling attack with five wickets.
T20 World Cup 2016, India
Once again Australia failed to qualify for the semi-final round as they lost two matches in the Super 10. Their campaign started with an eight-run defeat to New Zealand. Steve Smith and Co. bounced back with two back-to-back wins against Bangladesh and Pakistan, but India dismissed them with a six-wicket victory. James Faulkner led the way with the ball with eight wickets while Usman Khawaja’s 143 runs were the best by an Australian batter.
T20 World Cup 2021, India/UAE
After years of waiting, the Australians finally managed to get their hands on the elusive T20 World Cup trophy. Under the leadership of Aaron Finch, the Kangaroos defeated New Zealand by eight wickets in the final. The Aussie bowlers restricted the Kiwis to 172 runs and chased down the target in 18.5 overs.
Also Read: Sri Lanka T20 World Cup History from 2007 to 2024: Stats, records, milestones, and more
All-rounder Mitchell Marsh won the Player of the Match for his brilliant 77* off 50 balls. David Warner, who finished as the second leading-run scorer with 289 runs, won the Player of the Series. On the other hand, leg spinner Adam Zampa took 13 wickets to become the second-highest wicket-taker.
T20 World Cup 2022, Australia
With the eighth edition of the T20 World Cup being held on Australian soil, the hosts came with the aim of retaining the title. The reigning champions started off with a massive 89-run defeat against New Zealand. Australia’s one match was abandoned and it proved too costly as they failed to overtake the Black Caps and England in terms of net run rate to qualify for the semi-finals. All-rounder Marcus Stoinis top-scored for them with 126 runs, while Josh Hazlewood’s 5 wickets are the most by an Australian bowler.
Australia squad for the 2024 T20 World Cup
Mitchell Marsh (c), Ashton Agar, Pat Cummins, Tim David, Nathan Ellis, Cameron Green, Josh Hazlewood, Travis Head, Josh Inglis, Glenn Maxwell, Mitchell Starc, Marcus Stoinis, Matthew Wade, David Warner, Adam Zampa.
Travelling Reserves: Jake Fraser-McGurk, Matt Short.