Cricket World Cup: Australia team profile & player to watch

Australia’s crushing seven-wicket win over New Zealand in the 2015 World Cup final made it four triumphs in five tournaments for the dominant Aussies.

They started 2018 as ante-post favourites for the 2019 World Cup but were usurped as market leaders by England after a 4-1 home series defeat to Eoin Morgan’s men.

Worse was to follow. In March 2018, Steve Smith and David Warner were suspended for a year after the ball-tampering scandal in Cape Town and in June Australia's depleted one-day side slipped to a 5-0 series defeat in England.

Their bowlers were humiliated at Trent Bridge, where England racked up a record total of 481-6, and they let England off the hook in the final game at Old Trafford as Jos Buttler steered the hosts from 114-8 to a target of 206.

For once, it seemed, punters could safely write off the five-time world champions. Having lost 11 of their 13 ODIs in 2018, they started 2019 with a 2-1 home defeat to India and went 2-0 down in the return series against Virat Kohli’s side.

Usman Khawaja inspired Australia’s fightback, scoring 104, 91 and 100 in victories in Ranchi, Mohali and Delhi. Skipper Aaron Finch, Khawaja’s opening partner, then struck 116, 153 not out and 90 in the first three ODIs against Pakistan in the UAE and some magical innings from Glenn Maxwell helped the tourists to a 5-0 clean sweep.

Warner and Smith returned to competitive action in the IPL, where Warner scored eight fifties and a century in 12 innings, finishing as the tournament’s leading runscorer.

The league format of the World Cup should give the pair time to rediscover their 50-over mojo. Fast bowler Mitchell Starc, player of the tournament in 2015, is also easing his way back to top form after an injury-hit 2018 and paceman Pat Cummins is an absolute gem.

Maxwell and Marcus Stoinis offer all-round balance to the side although there are doubts over the depth of the pace attack with Josh Hazlewood and Jhye Richardson missing out.

Australia’s odds of a sixth World Cup shortened during their winning run in India and the UAE. Despite a difficult build-up they are unlikely to give up their crown without a fight.

Player to watch
Glenn Maxwell
Only Andre Russell and Jos Buttler can rival Maxwell's one-day career batting strike-rate of 122 and his inventive strokeplay, dynamic fielding and useful off-spin make him a crucial part of Australia's plans.

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