Khawaja Backs Maxwell Ahead of T20 World Cup 2024
Veteran Australian opener Usman Khawaja has come out in support of his teammate Glenn Maxwell, following the all-rounder’s underwhelming performance in the Indian Premier League (IPL) ahead of the T20 World Cup 2024.
Maxwell, who plays for Royal Challengers Bangalore (RCB), had a forgettable IPL season, scoring just 52 runs in 10 matches with a highest score of 28. He faced criticism from some cricket experts for his poor form, despite his big price tag.
Khawaja, however, dismissed the relevance of IPL form, stating that Maxwell has “proven himself time and time again” for the Australian national team. The veteran opener emphasized that T20 cricket is a high-risk format, where players like Maxwell look to attack the bowlers from the first ball, which can sometimes lead to inconsistent performances.
“The IPL form is absolutely irrelevant. Maxy’s proven himself time and time again. Any player who’s performed over a long period of time understands that you can’t perform well every time you go out there,” Khawaja told the West Australian.
Khawaja noted that T20 cricket is unpredictable, and a single good innings can turn things around for a player. He believes that Maxwell should not change his aggressive approach despite his flop IPL season, as it is the key to his success.
“You take a few risks, particularly if you bat in the middle order, and T20 cricket’s not easy. But (for this tournament) if he gets one good innings, he’s away. It doesn’t matter what’s happened in the past. He’s not going to change his game and nor should he. Just keep going. He’ll find it,” Khawaja added.
Maxwell has been selected in Australia’s 15-member squad for the upcoming T20 World Cup, and he will be looking to replicate the form he displayed in the ODI showpiece event last year. The tournament is set to kick off on June 1, with the United States and Canada playing the opening match. Australia will face Oman, England, Namibia, and Scotland in Group B.
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