Usman Khawaja Urges Australia to Focus on India After Afghanistan Defeat

Melbourne, Australia – Ahead of the crucial ICC T20 World Cup Super Eights match against India, Australian opener Usman Khawaja has called on his team to move past their surprising loss to Afghanistan and concentrate on the upcoming challenge. Khawaja praised Afghanistan, noting that they are often underestimated.

India vs Australia: A Must-Win Clash

India and Australia will face off in a must-win game at Saint Lucia on Monday. India leads Group One with two wins and four points, while Australia is in second place with one win and one loss, totaling two points. A loss for Australia could jeopardize their chances of reaching the semifinals.

Khawaja’s Thoughts on the Game

Speaking at the launch of Prime Cafe in Melbourne, Khawaja said, “Afghanistan is a very strong team. People underestimate them. They should have beaten us in the last World Cup, but they dropped Glenn Maxwell a couple of times. It was not a surprise to me. If Afghanistan loses against Bangladesh, we still have a chance. We do not want to leave things to fate. We need to beat India. They are the best team in the world, pretty much. We are the top two teams. When the pressure is on, Australia in World Cups often comes out on top. But a T20I game against India is a game you do not want to miss.”

Khawaja also mentioned that skipper Mitchell Marsh and coach Andrew McDonald would be “process-driven” but acknowledged the natural nervousness ahead of the “do-or-die” match. He emphasized the importance of forgetting the Afghanistan game and focusing on the new challenge.

Impact of T20 Cricket

Khawaja highlighted the positive impact of T20 cricket, noting that it has opened opportunities for countries worldwide to showcase their talent. He praised the performances of Afghanistan and the USA, who reached the Super Eights in their World Cup debut.

“That is why I like T20 cricket. It introduces the sport to a part of the community that probably would not have watched it as an audience. I have watched a lot of girls and mothers get involved in the sport over the last 10 years because of T20 cricket. It brings in front of us a lot of different people from various parts of the world, like Afghanistan. You never thought the USA would make it to the Super 8s. But here they are, what a great story,” he added.

Predictions for the Semifinals

Khawaja predicted that Australia, India, England, and South Africa would move to the semifinals. He expressed concern about England’s performance but noted that teams have bounced back from difficult starts in previous tournaments.

Squads