Usman Khawaja Backs Glenn Maxwell for T20 World Cup Impact Despite IPL Form

Despite Glenn Maxwell’s recent struggles in the Indian Premier League (IPL), Australian cricketer Usman Khawaja is confident in Maxwell’s ability to shine in the upcoming T20 World Cup. Khawaja believes Maxwell’s form in the IPL is irrelevant when it comes to his performance for the national team.

Royal Challengers Bengaluru player Glenn Maxwell bats during a training session ahead of the Indian Premier League (IPL) 2024 cricket match against Chennai Super Kings, at M Chinnaswamy Stadium in Bengaluru, Friday, May 17, 2024.

IPL Form Doesn’t Matter

In a conversation with the West Australian, Khawaja emphasized Maxwell’s proven track record: “The IPL form is absolutely irrelevant. Maxy’s proven himself time and time again. Any player who’s performed over a long period understands that you can’t perform well every time you go out there.”

Khawaja pointed out that T20 cricket, especially for middle-order batsmen, is challenging and that Maxwell just needs one good innings to regain his confidence: “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.”

Maxwell’s IPL Performance

Maxwell had a tough IPL season, averaging only 5.77 from nine innings and scoring just 52 runs in 10 matches. His team, Royal Challengers Bangalore, was eliminated by the Rajasthan Royals in the Eliminator, with Maxwell scoring a duck in that crucial game.

Players on a Break

Currently, Maxwell is on a break along with Pat Cummins, Travis Head, Marcus Stoinis, Mitchell Starc, and Cameron Green after the grueling IPL schedule. These players are set to join the national team for the T20 World Cup.

Australian Team Preparations

In preparation for the T20 World Cup, the Australian team had to improvise during a warm-up match against Namibia due to the absence of key players. Selection chief George Bailey and fielding coach Andre Borovec stepped in to help, along with batting coach Brad Hodge and head coach Andrew McDonald.

Despite these challenges, the Australian team, the 2021 T20 World Cup champions, showcased their strength by chasing down Namibia’s total of 119/9 with 10 overs remaining, thanks to a quickfire half-century from David Warner (54*).

Upcoming Matches

Australia’s next warm-up match is against the West Indies on May 31. The team will begin their T20 World Cup campaign on June 6 against Oman, followed by matches against archrivals England on June 9, Namibia on June 12, and Scotland to finish the group stage.