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LAHORE, Feb 21 (APP):Australian Captain Steve Smith has said that the young guns of the team need to come forward and perform for the team during the ICC Men’s Champions Trophy 2025 in Pakistan.
The Australian cricket team is due to face off arch rivals England in their opening match of the Champions Trophy at the Gaddafi Stadium on Saturday (tomorrow).
Addressing a pre-match press conference at the Gaddafi Stadium here on Friday, he said the team will miss the experience of Pat Cummins, Josh Hazelwood, and Mitchell March due to injury and fitness issues, adding that he had played alongside Cummins and Hazlewood for 10 years and their presence was vital to the team’s cause.
Australia had included inexperienced Aaron Hardie, Spencer Johnson, Nathan Ellis, and Tanveer Sangha in the squad while Sean Abbott has also played 26 ODIs for Australia.
Australia lost the two-match ODI series against Sri Lanka 2-0 and under pressure to perform well besides the challenges of absence of three main players including the captain, Pat Cummins.
He said ‘We are under the pump and must remain focused and play good cricket in the first match of their campaign in the Champions Trophy 2025 in Pakistan’. However, he expressed the hope that it is different tournament and a different opposition and the team will do well.
On the English team, he said England are a fierce competitor and he expected a good match against the rivals. He said the Kangroos will play aggressive cricket against the Three Lions.
To a query, Smith said he would likely bat at No. 3, adding that loss against Sri Lanka in the white-ball series was the past and they must begin anew against England tomorrow.
Steve Smith said that the Australian team would play quality cricket at the Gaddafi stadium, expressing the hope the crowds will turn up in large numbers to support the teams.
On Babar Azam, the ace batter said Babar is a world-class performer and has done well in his career so far. He said he might not have accumulated as many runs as he wanted recently but he has got flawless technique and is a wonderful player.
He praised the new-look Gaddafi stadium where he played in a test match two years ago. He said it was an excellent facility.
Smith said that ICC Champions Trophy and ICC Men’s ODI tournaments were not similar in nature, adding that the Champions Trophy was played between the top eight sides of the world and had its own challenges and class.
He said that Mark Wood and Jofra Archer are great speedesters, adding that he had played against them and hoped to do well against England tomorrow.