T20 World Cup 2024: Usman Khawaja backs Glenn Maxwell despite IPL flop
- By Web Desk -
- Jun 01, 2024
Australian batter Usman Khawaja defended Glenn Maxwell after several questioned his place in the Australian squad for the upcoming T20 World Cup 2024.
The hard-hitter was severely trolled and criticised for his dismal outing in the recently concluded IPL 2024 where he averaged 5.78 in nine innings for Royal Challengers Bengaluru (RCB) while hitting only six boundaries and was out for a duck in four games.
His average in the recently concluded IPL season marked his lowest in 13 years while playing for RCB.
Following Glenn Maxwell’s inclusion in Australia’s 15-member squad for the upcoming T20 World Cup 2024, cricket experts and commentators began questioning his place in the team for the tournament.
Now, his teammate Usman Khawaja came in his defence, saying that Maxwell cannot be judged on just IPL performance as the allrounder has repeatedly proven himself on the big stages.
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“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 said in an interview to an Australian media outlet.
According to him, Maxwell’s high-risk batting is his expertise and he should not be asked to change his game.
Khawaja said that early dismissals were part of the game and that it should not be expected of a player to perform every time he goes out to bat.
In the upcoming T20 World Cup 2024, Khawaja asserted that Maxwell would need a single innings to return to form and shine for Australia at the tournament.
Meanwhile, Usman Khawaja urged Glenn Maxwell to keep playing according to his natural playing style.
“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,” he said.