History beckons for title-holders Australia at T20 World Cup
Aaron Finch's men enjoy the advantage of being the only winners of cricket's shortest format to have a crack at defending the title on home territory since the T20 World Cup started in 2007. With a star-studded line-up spearheaded by David Warner, Pat Cummins and Glenn Maxwell, the Australians also boast all but one of the team that won the tournament last year in the UAE. Finch, who recently stood down as one-day skipper to focus on T20s, suggested they will be all guns blazing in defence of the trophy. "If in doubt, be overly aggressive. That is how we want to play," he said. "At times that is going to come with high risk and high reward. At times it comes with no reward. That is just a part of T20."
Read AlsoT20 World Cup 2022: Complete format guideThe eighth edition of the T20 World Cup officially begins October 16 and a total of 45 matches are set to be played across 7 venues. The event format will be group stage matches to determine 4 qualifier teams in Round 1, followed by the Super 12s (where 8 teams will be waiting for the 4 qualifiers)
The tournament's eighth edition begins on Sunday with Sri Lanka facing Namibia and UAE against Netherlands in a first qualifying round at Geelong, one of seven venues being used for the 45 matches. Games will also be held in Adelaide, Brisbane, Hobart, Perth and Sydney, with the final on November 13 under lights at the cavernous Melbourne Cricket Ground. The top nations join on October 22 when Australia open their defence against Kane Williamson's New Zealand in Sydney -- a repeat of the 2021 final in Dubai where Mitchell Marsh's unbeaten 77 powered them to an eight-wicket win and maiden crown. Despite a couple of key absences India and England are the favourites along with
