Australia head coach Andrew McDonald has placed responsibility for the team’s disappointing exit from the T20 World Cup squarely on his players, dismissing claims that poor preparation or lack of commitment to the format led to their downfall.Australia were eliminated in the group stage after shock defeats to Zimbabwe and Sri Lanka, sparking criticism from former players and pundits back home. Questions were raised over the team’s build-up to the tournament, particularly after several squad members arrived late to a warm-up series in Pakistan due to Big Bash League commitments.
The team suffered a 3-0 series whitewash against Pakistan and subsequently failed to progress to the Super Eight stage of the World Cup.McDonald rejected suggestions that Australia do not prioritise the T20 format.“I have heard that narrative that T20 World Cups don’t matter to us,” he told reporters. “That is a response to our recent performances. We won in 2021 but haven’t been as successful since. Expectations on the Australian cricket team are always high — and rightly so.“But to suggest we are prioritising other formats over the T20 World Cup is entirely false.”Australia were without key fast bowlers Pat Cummins and Josh Hazlewood due to injuries. However, McDonald insisted the available squad was strong enough to deliver better results.“It shouldn’t be about the players we’re missing,” he said. “It should be about our performances. We are disappointed and we need to own that. The criticism is fair and reasonable.”Australia will conclude their campaign with a final group-stage match against Oman in Pallekele later on Friday.
