Champions Trophy: Watson Picks Maxwell As 'stand-out' Player, Says 'Australia Will Be Very Hard To Beat'

Champions Trophy: Watson picks Maxwell as 'stand-out' player, says 'Australia will be very hard to b (Image Source: IANS)

ICC Champions Trophy: Former Australia cricketer Shane Watson has backed experienced all-rounder Glenn Maxwell to shine in the ICC Champions Trophy as the Aussies eye their third tournament title.

Despite being 36 years old and with over 250 international caps across all three formats, Maxwell's recent form in the Big Bash League, where he was one of the two Players of the Series, has led Watson to believe that his best cricket is still ahead of him.

Australia, the reigning 50-over World Cup champions and currently second in the ODI rankings, are set to face England. However, with only one win in their last five ODIs and key bowlers Pat Cummins, Josh Hazlewood, and Mitchell Starc absent from the squad, concerns have arisen about their ability to reclaim the trophy in Pakistan.

Nevertheless, Watson, a two-time ICC Men’s Champions Trophy winner and one of the four Event Ambassadors for the 2025 edition, is confident that Australia will remain a formidable team, especially if their explosive all-rounder delivers.

“The stand-out player for me is Glenn Maxwell. With what I have seen recently, especially in the Big Bash, I believe he has some of his best cricket in front of him across the next two or three years, and I would be very surprised if he does not dominate this Champions Trophy," ICC quoted Watson as saying.

“He had that incredible innings against Afghanistan in the ICC Men’s Cricket World Cup 2023, where he scored a double century, but he has struggled to be consistent at times. That’s the nature of his role in the team.

“However, it now just feels like it has all fallen into place for him, and that’s with everything in his life, not just his cricket, so I think he will play a pivotal part.

“I think Australia will be very hard to beat, even if their bowling squad is not quite as experienced as they might otherwise have been," he added.

The former all-rounder was part of the Australia team that was crowned champions in the 2006 Champions Trophy, hitting 57 not out to help them to an eight-wicket win against West Indies in the final.

He then scored a century in both the semi-final and final in 2009 and hit the winning runs as Australia retained their trophy in South Africa.

The absence of the pace trio of Cummins, Hazlewood and Starc, who are missing due to a combination of injury and personal reasons, opens the door to a different crop of Australian bowlers, headed by Nathan Ellis and Spencer Johnson with Sean Abbott the most experienced fast bowler with 26, and Watson is confident they can take their opportunity.

“You have to be at your very best in this event, with this format – you have to hit the ground sprinting, let alone running,” he said.

“Spencer Johnson doesn’t swing it much but the ball flies out of his hand, he’s quick, he’s tall, he gets bounce and it is beautiful to see how easy it he finds it to bowl at the speeds he does. It’s a great opportunity for him.

“Sean Abbott has always done a really nice job. He is great with the older ball, the way he releases it, and has great speed. And then there is Nathan Ellis, who is highly skilled and massively under-rated in international cricket. He is a known force in franchise cricket and does a great job but I think this could be his breakout year in international cricket, so I am excited to see how he goes.

“They may be inexperienced as a group in internationals, but these quicks have all played high-pressure cricket in the Big Bash and other T20 tournaments – they know how to execute under pressure.”

“Sean Abbott has always done a really nice job. He is great with the older ball, the way he releases it, and has great speed. And then there is Nathan Ellis, who is highly skilled and massively under-rated in international cricket. He is a known force in franchise cricket and does a great job but I think this could be his breakout year in international cricket, so I am excited to see how he goes.

Article Source: IANS