Former Australia head coach John Buchanan feels the Australian team was hurt and the players' egos were dented after their loss against India in the Test series at home last year. Ajinkya Rahane-led India had defeated Australia 2-1 in the four-match series to script history as the visitors pulled off their second successive Test series win on Australian soil.

Despite missing some of the senior members of the side, including skipper Virat Kohli and the likes of Ishant Sharma, Mohammed Shami and KL Rahul among others, a second-fiddle Indian side had stunned Australia in their own backyard after breaching the hosts' fortress - The Gabba in the fourth and final Test.

Buchanan feels it was a demoralising series loss for the Australian team which inspired them to regroup together and work harder for future challenges. Buchanan revealed how Australia's head coach Justin Langer was more excited about the planning and preparation that had gone into making their T20 World Cup 2021 campaign a successful one than the victory itself.

"There’s little doubt that the loss to India at home hurt the team, dented egos, and threatened positions of players and support staff. But turning a team around takes time, and it takes some painful lessons as well. Talking with Justin (Langer) after the T20 World Cup, he was almost more thrilled about the planning and preparation that went into the tournament than winning the tournament itself," Buchanan was quoted as saying by Telegraph.

Australia have been on a redemption journey since their T20 World Cup triumph as they have continued their stellar run in the ongoing Ashes 2021-22 against England at home. Australia have already clinched the five-match series with three back-to-back wins in the first three Tests and are currently on the verge of winning the fourth Test in Sydney.

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The fourth Test in Sydney is currently evenly poised, however, Australia have a slighter edge with England needing 358 runs to win on Day 5 to pull off an unlikely win. Buchanan criticised England's tactics and selections in the Ashes this year and said their results in the past couple of years suggest that they are not a good Test side.

“England have been woeful, although a quick look at their results in the longest format over the past two-three years will reveal that they are not a good side. They rely heavily on (Joe) Root, (Ben) Stokes, (James) Anderson and (Stuart) Broad. They have no opening combination with a fragile middle order, and so choose (Jos) Buttler and (Jonny) Bairstow rather than (Ben) Foakes, who is the best ’keeper. Besides, their bowling attack needs conditions in its favour in order to look dangerous," said the two-time World Cup-winning coach.

"Some of their selections on this tour so far seem ludicrous. For instance, the decision to not play Anderson and Broad in Brisbane in bowler-friendly conditions. And you do that in the first Test of a series," he added.

Former Australia head coach John Buchanan feels the Australian team was hurt and the players' egos were dented after their loss against India in the Test series at home last year.

Former Australia head coach John Buchanan feels the Australian team was hurt and the players' egos were dented after their loss against India in the Test series at home last year. Ajinkya Rahane-led India had defeated Australia 2-1 in the four-match series to script history as the visitors pulled off their second successive Test series win on Australian soil. Despite missing some of the senior members of the side, including skipper Virat Kohli and the likes of Ishant Sharma, Mohammed Shami and KL Rahul among others, a second-fiddle Indian side had stunned Australia in their own backyard after breaching the hosts' fortress - The Gabba in the fourth and final Test. Buchanan feels it was a demoralising series loss for the Australian team which inspired them to regroup together and work harder for future challenges. Buchanan revealed how Australia's head coach Justin Langer was more excited about the planning and preparation that had gone into making their T20 World Cup 2021 campaign a successful one than the victory itself. "There’s little doubt that the loss to India at home hurt the team, dented egos, and threatened positions of players and support staff. But turning a team around takes time, and it takes some painful lessons as well. Talking with Justin (Langer) after the T20 World Cup, he was almost more thrilled about the planning and preparation that went into the tournament than winning the tournament itself," Buchanan was quoted as saying by Telegraph. Australia have been on a redemption journey since their T20 World Cup triumph as they have continued their stellar run in the ongoing Ashes 2021-22 against England at home. Australia have already clinched the five-match series with three back-to-back wins in the first three Tests and are currently on the verge of winning the fourth Test in Sydney. Also Read: Not Ajinkya Rahane! Sunil Gavaskar names player Virat Kohli should replace in 3rd Test vs South Africa The fourth Test in Sydney is currently evenly poised, however, Australia have a slighter edge with England needing 358 runs to win on Day 5 to pull off an unlikely win. Buchanan criticised England's tactics and selections in the Ashes this year and said their results in the past couple of years suggest that they are not a good Test side. “England have been woeful, although a quick look at their results in the longest format over the past two-three years will reveal that they are not a good side. They rely heavily on (Joe) Root, (Ben) Stokes, (James) Anderson and (Stuart) Broad. They have no opening combination with a fragile middle order, and so choose (Jos) Buttler and (Jonny) Bairstow rather than (Ben) Foakes, who is the best ’keeper. Besides, their bowling attack needs conditions in its favour in order to look dangerous," said the two-time World Cup-winning coach. "Some of their selections on this tour so far seem ludicrous. For instance, the decision to not play Anderson and Broad in Brisbane in bowler-friendly conditions. And you do that in the first Test of a series," he added.

Loss to India at home hurt Australian team and dented egos, says former coach John Buchanan

Australia batsman Travis Head will miss the fourth Ashes test against England in Sydney next week after testing positive for COVID-19, Cricket Australia said.

Head would remain in Melbourne and isolate for seven days, making him unavailable for the next test beginning on Jan. 5.

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"As part of our testing procedures, we are PCR testing players, their families and our support staff daily," a CA spokesperson said.&nbsp;

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"Unfortunately, Travis returned a positive COVID-19 result earlier today.&nbsp;Thankfully, he is asymptomatic at this stage. We anticipate that he will be available to play in the fifth men's Ashes test in Hobart."

Mitchell Marsh, Nic Maddinson and Josh Inglis have been called in as additional cover.

IN PICS |&nbsp;<a href="https://www.wionews.com/photos/in-pics-how-india-demolished-south-africa-at-their-fortress-in-centurion-to-go-1-0-up-441187">How India demolished South Africa at their fortress in Centurion to go 1-0 up</a>

Australia have already won the five-match series after victory in Melbourne gave the home side an unassailable 3-0 lead.

Head was instrumental in Australia's win in the first test at the Gabba, scoring 152 runs from 148 balls.

Australia batsman Travis Head will miss the fourth Ashes test against England in Sydney next week after testing positive for COVID-19, Cricket Australia said. Head would remain in Melbourne and isolate for seven days, making him unavailable for the next test beginning on Jan.

Australia batsman Travis Head will miss the fourth Ashes test against England in Sydney next week after testing positive for COVID-19, Cricket Australia said. Head would remain in Melbourne and isolate for seven days, making him unavailable for the next test beginning on Jan. 5. ALSO READ: 'Not the end of my career': South Africa's Quinton de Kock quits Test cricket "As part of our testing procedures, we are PCR testing players, their families and our support staff daily," a CA spokesperson said. Australian batter Travis Head has tested positive to Covid-19 following a routine PCR test. As a precautionary measure Mitchell Marsh, Nic Maddinson and Josh Inglis have joined the Australian squad as additional cover. Full statement 👇 pic.twitter.com/1j6o80qZJI — Cricket Australia (@CricketAus) December 31, 2021 × "Unfortunately, Travis returned a positive COVID-19 result earlier today. Thankfully, he is asymptomatic at this stage. We anticipate that he will be available to play in the fifth men's Ashes test in Hobart." Mitchell Marsh, Nic Maddinson and Josh Inglis have been called in as additional cover. IN PICS | How India demolished South Africa at their fortress in Centurion to go 1-0 up Australia have already won the five-match series after victory in Melbourne gave the home side an unassailable 3-0 lead. Head was instrumental in Australia's win in the first test at the Gabba, scoring 152 runs from 148 balls.

Ashes 2021: Australia suffers big blow as Travis Head tests positive for COVID-19, ruled out of Sydney Test

Australia mauled England by an innings and 14 runs in the third Test of the ongoing Ashes 2021 to clinch the five-match series with three back-to-back wins and retain the prestigious urn. Debutant Scott Boland bowled his heart out and picked up a memorable six wicket-haul as he ran through the hapless English batting line-up in their second innings on Day 3 of the Boxing Day Test on Tuesday.

England, who were bundled out for a paltry 185 runs in their first innings of the third Test at the Melbourne Cricket Ground (MCG) suffered yet another terrible batting collapse in their second innings. The visitors were folded for just 68 runs in their second innings as they failed to overhaul Australia's 83-run lead and conceded the game within three days.

England captain Joe Root top-scored for the visitors with 28 runs off 59 balls. He was the lone warrior once again as none of the other batters managed to put on a fight against the Australian pacers, who dominated the proceedings. Boland was the pick of the bowlers for the Aussies as the fast bowler sone on debut.

The defeat is a much-needed reality check for England, who have been left exposed in the ongoing Ashes 2021-22 as the Test series has looked fairly one-sided with the hosts dominating the proceedings so far. England captain Root said he was absolutely gutted with the innings defeat and admitted his side were blown away by the Aussies.

"It is what it is. We have come to dealing with this sort of environment for a while now. Credit to Australia, they blew us away last night, and they have outplayed us in this Test match, in fact, the series so far. We have a lot of hard work to do now and come back strong in the last two games. Covid threat wasn't ideal. The way we went about our cricket, especially our bowling was excellent yesterday," said Root post his side's defeat.

England bowlers had done well during Australia's first innings to ensure the hosts didn't manage to get to a big total. Senior pacer James Anderson picked up a four-wicket haul while Mark Wood and Ollie Robinson scalped two wickets apiece to give England a chance to fight back in the game.

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However, the batters let the visitors down once again with a shambolic show in the second innings. Root admitted England have a lot of work to do in order to turn around their fortunes in the Ashes 2021-22. The England skipper said his side will look to wrap up the series with a couple of wins in their remaining matches.

"Credit to the boys for managing it and giving ourselves a chance in this game. We just have got to do things for longer. There have been pockets, but that's just not enough. We know where we need to work and we have to stay very strong and make sure we look at the next two games as a real opportunity to take something away from this tour," said Root.

&nbsp;

Australia mauled England by an innings and 14 runs in the third Test of the ongoing Ashes 2021 to clinch the five-match series with three back-to-back wins and retain the prestigious urn.

Australia mauled England by an innings and 14 runs in the third Test of the ongoing Ashes 2021 to clinch the five-match series with three back-to-back wins and retain the prestigious urn. Debutant Scott Boland bowled his heart out and picked up a memorable six wicket-haul as he ran through the hapless English batting line-up in their second innings on Day 3 of the Boxing Day Test on Tuesday. England, who were bundled out for a paltry 185 runs in their first innings of the third Test at the Melbourne Cricket Ground (MCG) suffered yet another terrible batting collapse in their second innings. The visitors were folded for just 68 runs in their second innings as they failed to overhaul Australia's 83-run lead and conceded the game within three days. England captain Joe Root top-scored for the visitors with 28 runs off 59 balls. He was the lone warrior once again as none of the other batters managed to put on a fight against the Australian pacers, who dominated the proceedings. Boland was the pick of the bowlers for the Aussies as the fast bowler sone on debut. The defeat is a much-needed reality check for England, who have been left exposed in the ongoing Ashes 2021-22 as the Test series has looked fairly one-sided with the hosts dominating the proceedings so far. England captain Root said he was absolutely gutted with the innings defeat and admitted his side were blown away by the Aussies. "It is what it is. We have come to dealing with this sort of environment for a while now. Credit to Australia, they blew us away last night, and they have outplayed us in this Test match, in fact, the series so far. We have a lot of hard work to do now and come back strong in the last two games. Covid threat wasn't ideal. The way we went about our cricket, especially our bowling was excellent yesterday," said Root post his side's defeat. England bowlers had done well during Australia's first innings to ensure the hosts didn't manage to get to a big total. Senior pacer James Anderson picked up a four-wicket haul while Mark Wood and Ollie Robinson scalped two wickets apiece to give England a chance to fight back in the game. Also Read: Ashes 2021-22: Australia thrash England by innings and 14 runs in third Test to retain the urn However, the batters let the visitors down once again with a shambolic show in the second innings. Root admitted England have a lot of work to do in order to turn around their fortunes in the Ashes 2021-22. The England skipper said his side will look to wrap up the series with a couple of wins in their remaining matches. "Credit to the boys for managing it and giving ourselves a chance in this game. We just have got to do things for longer. There have been pockets, but that's just not enough. We know where we need to work and we have to stay very strong and make sure we look at the next two games as a real opportunity to take something away from this tour," said Root.

'Australia blew us away': Joe Root absolutely gutted as Aussies dismantle England in 3rd Ashes Test

Australia's star batter Matthew Wade recently opened up on his battle with testicular cancer at the age of 16. Wade was one of the heroes for Australia during their T20 World Cup 2021 title-winning campaign where he produced a match-winning knock under pressure in the all-important semi-final against Pakistan.

Wade had slammed a stunning 41 off just 17 balls and dispatched Shaheen Afridi for three straight sixes in the penultimate over to help Australia beat Pakistan in a thriller. The Aussies went on to beat New Zealand in the summit clash in Dubai to lift their maiden T20 World Cup title.

Wade, who has seen several ups and downs in life, and his cricket career, opened up on his battle with testicular cancer at the age of 16. He revealed it was easier for him to undergo the treatment at a tender age as he didn't quite understand what his body was dealing with. However, Wade insisted his family had a tough time seeing him go through the pain.&nbsp;

Cricket was a huge escape for Wade and the sport helped him recover well from cancer to get to the other side. The wicket-keeper batter made his international debut for Australia in 2011 and has become an integral member of the limited-overs teams.

“When I was 16, I was diagnosed with testicular cancer. That was a big part of my life, but I was lucky that I had good mates in sporting teams, older people in sporting teams that really got me out of the house, and got me back in training. Sports became a real outlet for me through that period of time," Wade said in the video shared by Cricket Australia.

“It was a challenging time but sport pushed me through the other side. It was probably harder on my family. I was a lot younger and didn’t probably understand what was going on too much. It was just kind of ‘do this and do that’ to get it better. It probably took a hit on the&nbsp;family more than it took on me," he added.

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Wade's father Scott recalled the tough time and revealed it was hard for the Aussie cricketer to deal with issues such as hair fall during treatment. He hailed Wade's mother for her unbelievable support throughout the procedure which helped the wicket-keeper batter beat cancer.

“Matthew got unbelievable support from his mother. It was about the hair falling out and how he was going to play cricket. He would put his cricket cap on and when he pulled it off, a bunch of hair would fall out. That sort of stuff was really challenging for Matthew," said Scott.

Wade is currently not part of Australia's squad for the ongoing Ashes 2021-22 against England but remains a vital cog in the limited-overs setup.

&nbsp;

Australia's star batter Matthew Wade recently opened up on his battle with testicular cancer at the age of 16. Wade was one of the heroes for Australia during their T20 World Cup 2021 title-winning campaign where he produced a match-winning knock under pressure in the all-important semi-final against Pakistan.

Australia's star batter Matthew Wade recently opened up on his battle with testicular cancer at the age of 16. Wade was one of the heroes for Australia during their T20 World Cup 2021 title-winning campaign where he produced a match-winning knock under pressure in the all-important semi-final against Pakistan. Wade had slammed a stunning 41 off just 17 balls and dispatched Shaheen Afridi for three straight sixes in the penultimate over to help Australia beat Pakistan in a thriller. The Aussies went on to beat New Zealand in the summit clash in Dubai to lift their maiden T20 World Cup title. Wade, who has seen several ups and downs in life, and his cricket career, opened up on his battle with testicular cancer at the age of 16. He revealed it was easier for him to undergo the treatment at a tender age as he didn't quite understand what his body was dealing with. However, Wade insisted his family had a tough time seeing him go through the pain. Cricket was a huge escape for Wade and the sport helped him recover well from cancer to get to the other side. The wicket-keeper batter made his international debut for Australia in 2011 and has become an integral member of the limited-overs teams. “When I was 16, I was diagnosed with testicular cancer. That was a big part of my life, but I was lucky that I had good mates in sporting teams, older people in sporting teams that really got me out of the house, and got me back in training. Sports became a real outlet for me through that period of time," Wade said in the video shared by Cricket Australia. “It was a challenging time but sport pushed me through the other side. It was probably harder on my family. I was a lot younger and didn’t probably understand what was going on too much. It was just kind of ‘do this and do that’ to get it better. It probably took a hit on the family more than it took on me," he added. Also Read: 'Got 2 missed calls from Pat': Steve Smith reveals how he learnt about return to captaincy in 2nd Ashes Test Wade's father Scott recalled the tough time and revealed it was hard for the Aussie cricketer to deal with issues such as hair fall during treatment. He hailed Wade's mother for her unbelievable support throughout the procedure which helped the wicket-keeper batter beat cancer. “Matthew got unbelievable support from his mother. It was about the hair falling out and how he was going to play cricket. He would put his cricket cap on and when he pulled it off, a bunch of hair would fall out. That sort of stuff was really challenging for Matthew," said Scott. Wade is currently not part of Australia's squad for the ongoing Ashes 2021-22 against England but remains a vital cog in the limited-overs setup.

'Sport pushed me through': Australia's Matthew Wade opens up on battle with testicular cancer at age of 16

The Joe Root-led England Test team are tottering in the ongoing Ashes 2021/22 edition Down Under. Losing the first Test by a whopping 9-wicket margin versus Pat Cummins-led Australia, the English line-up saw five crucial&nbsp;points being deducted from their tally for slow over-rate at The Gabba, Brisbane.

Nonetheless, the visiting side have been dealt with a bigger blow as three more points have been deducted from as it has been found out that they were eight overs short of the mark post the Brisbane Test (according to the ICC). Hence, Root &amp; Co. have now lost a total of ten points due to slow over-rate in the second cycle of the WTC. For the unversed, England had earlier been penalised for the same reason during their home series versus Virat Kohli-led Team India in August-September.&nbsp;

Following England's points getting deducted further, here's the updated WTC points table that sees Sri Lanka, Australia, Pakistan and India as&nbsp;the top four-ranked sides. England are now languishing at the seventh place, above lowly-ranked Bangladesh.

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<img alt="Updated WTC Points Table" data-entity-type="file" data-entity-uuid="1d58ad6e-494f-4056-a1b8-50e2c4464d44" src="//cdn.wionews.com/sites/default/files/inline-images/WTC.PNG" />

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England now have only six points from five&nbsp;Tests in the ongoing second cycle of the WTC. "England were eight overs short (not five overs short as previously announced) but were only fined 100 per cent of their match fee due to the limit,” the ICC said.

"However, the points deduction for penalty overs is not capped and must reflect the actual number of penalty overs a team is short of the minimum requirement as per Clause 16.1.2 of the ICC Playing Conditions, hence they have been penalised one point for each over they were short," it added.

Talking about Ashes 2021's second Test, Australia are in the driver's seat after posting 473 for 9 declared. In reply, England went to stumps on Day 2 being 17 for 2 in the day-night contest at the Adelaide Oval, Adelaide.

More changes are expected in the WTC points table following the upcoming New Zealand-Bangladesh and India-South Africa Test series.

The Joe Root-led England Test team are tottering in the ongoing Ashes 2021/22 edition Down Under. Losing the first Test by a whopping 9-wicket margin versus Pat Cummins-led Australia, the English line-up saw five crucial points being deducted from their tally for slow over-rate at The Gabba, Brisbane.

The Joe Root-led England Test team are tottering in the ongoing Ashes 2021/22 edition Down Under. Losing the first Test by a whopping 9-wicket margin versus Pat Cummins-led Australia, the English line-up saw five crucial points being deducted from their tally for slow over-rate at The Gabba, Brisbane. Nonetheless, the visiting side have been dealt with a bigger blow as three more points have been deducted from as it has been found out that they were eight overs short of the mark post the Brisbane Test (according to the ICC). Hence, Root & Co. have now lost a total of ten points due to slow over-rate in the second cycle of the WTC. For the unversed, England had earlier been penalised for the same reason during their home series versus Virat Kohli-led Team India in August-September. Following England's points getting deducted further, here's the updated WTC points table that sees Sri Lanka, Australia, Pakistan and India as the top four-ranked sides. England are now languishing at the seventh place, above lowly-ranked Bangladesh. ALSO READ | Ashes 2021: 'They haven't got a clue with selections', Ian Chappell reacts to England's struggles ALSO READ | We may see Virat Kohli from two years ago slamming centuries after centuries, predicts Sunil Gavaskar England now have only six points from five Tests in the ongoing second cycle of the WTC. "England were eight overs short (not five overs short as previously announced) but were only fined 100 per cent of their match fee due to the limit,” the ICC said. "However, the points deduction for penalty overs is not capped and must reflect the actual number of penalty overs a team is short of the minimum requirement as per Clause 16.1.2 of the ICC Playing Conditions, hence they have been penalised one point for each over they were short," it added. Talking about Ashes 2021's second Test, Australia are in the driver's seat after posting 473 for 9 declared. In reply, England went to stumps on Day 2 being 17 for 2 in the day-night contest at the Adelaide Oval, Adelaide. More changes are expected in the WTC points table following the upcoming New Zealand-Bangladesh and India-South Africa Test series.

Updated World Test Championship points table as England penalised for slow over-rate in Ashes opener

Nathan Lyon captured a long-awaited 400th test victim and spun Australia to an emphatic nine-wicket victory in the first Ashes test in Brisbane on Saturday, with England losing eight wickets in a stunning morning collapse at the Gabba on day four. 
 
Pat Cummins` team head to the day-night second test in Adelaide with huge momentum and a 1-0 lead in the five-match series after dominating England with bat, ball and in the field. 
 
The tourists, meanwhile, will be left to pore over their failings in Brisbane, with question marks hanging over their selections and tactics, and with few ready solutions for the batting woes ruthlessly exposed by Australia. 
 
Cummins, in his first match as skipper, said he thought someone was smiling over him. 
 
"A lot of things did go right, probably from the toss," he added. 
 
"I thought it was a really complete performance. The bowlers did their thing on day one. I was really happy how everyone stuck to it. We turned up today and we were still ahead of the game." 
 
Resuming on 220 for two with the match still within their grasp, England lost their last eight wickets for 77 runs to be bowled out for 297 by lunch, leaving Australia needing only 20 runs to win. 
 
England paceman Ollie Robinson dismissed wicketkeeper Alex Carey, who stood in for the injured David Warner, for nine but Marcus Harris (nine not out) hit Mark Wood to the fence to wrap up the match. 
 
England captain Joe Root was disappointed his side could not build on their positive end to day three. 
 
"Frustration," he said. "We worked really hard to get ourselves back in the game last night. It’s a shame that we just couldn’t quite manage to get through that initial phase because it could have been very different." 
 
Lyon, who finished with 4-91 for the second innings, had been stranded on 399 wickets since the series-deciding defeat to India in January at the same venue but wasted no time turning the contest on its head on Saturday. 
 
In his second over, the shaven-headed 34-year-old deceived Dawid Malan (82) with a sharply-dipping ball that produced a bat-pad catch to Marnus Labuschagne in close. 
 
That broke a crucial 162-run stand Malan had built with captain Joe Root on day three that had frustrated Australia`s bowlers and stretched into a third session. 
 
England promptly lost three wickets for 11 runs with a fired-up Cameron Green having Root caught for 89, the England skipper denied a maiden hundred in Australia yet again. 
 
Lyon had Ollie Pope caught for four by Steve Smith at slip with a ball that exploded out of the Gabba pitch to catch the middle order batsman`s edge.

Also Read:&nbsp;<a href="https://www.wionews.com/sports/how-the-hell-do-you-bounce-back-when-greg-chappell-called-ravi-shastri-to-laud-team-india-435898">'How the hell do you bounce back': When Greg Chappell called Ravi Shastri to laud Team India</a> 
 
Ben Stokes and Jos Buttler combined for a 32-run partnership before Australia captain Pat Cummins intervened, squaring up Stokes with a short ball that sent an edge flying to Green in the gully. 
 
Lyon nabbed his third wicket when Ollie Robinson top-edged an attempted reverse-sweep and then his fourth by bowling Mark Wood. 
 
Green completed England`s humiliation with his second wicket by having Chris Woakes caught behind for 16 to wrap up the innings. 
&nbsp;

Nathan Lyon captured a long-awaited 400th test victim and spun Australia to an emphatic nine-wicket victory in the first Ashes test in Brisbane on Saturday, with England losing eight wickets in a stunning morning collapse at the Gabba on day four.

Nathan Lyon captured a long-awaited 400th test victim and spun Australia to an emphatic nine-wicket victory in the first Ashes test in Brisbane on Saturday, with England losing eight wickets in a stunning morning collapse at the Gabba on day four. Pat Cummins` team head to the day-night second test in Adelaide with huge momentum and a 1-0 lead in the five-match series after dominating England with bat, ball and in the field. The tourists, meanwhile, will be left to pore over their failings in Brisbane, with question marks hanging over their selections and tactics, and with few ready solutions for the batting woes ruthlessly exposed by Australia. Cummins, in his first match as skipper, said he thought someone was smiling over him. "A lot of things did go right, probably from the toss," he added. "I thought it was a really complete performance. The bowlers did their thing on day one. I was really happy how everyone stuck to it. We turned up today and we were still ahead of the game." Resuming on 220 for two with the match still within their grasp, England lost their last eight wickets for 77 runs to be bowled out for 297 by lunch, leaving Australia needing only 20 runs to win. England paceman Ollie Robinson dismissed wicketkeeper Alex Carey, who stood in for the injured David Warner, for nine but Marcus Harris (nine not out) hit Mark Wood to the fence to wrap up the match. England captain Joe Root was disappointed his side could not build on their positive end to day three. "Frustration," he said. "We worked really hard to get ourselves back in the game last night. It’s a shame that we just couldn’t quite manage to get through that initial phase because it could have been very different." Lyon, who finished with 4-91 for the second innings, had been stranded on 399 wickets since the series-deciding defeat to India in January at the same venue but wasted no time turning the contest on its head on Saturday. In his second over, the shaven-headed 34-year-old deceived Dawid Malan (82) with a sharply-dipping ball that produced a bat-pad catch to Marnus Labuschagne in close. That broke a crucial 162-run stand Malan had built with captain Joe Root on day three that had frustrated Australia`s bowlers and stretched into a third session. England promptly lost three wickets for 11 runs with a fired-up Cameron Green having Root caught for 89, the England skipper denied a maiden hundred in Australia yet again. Lyon had Ollie Pope caught for four by Steve Smith at slip with a ball that exploded out of the Gabba pitch to catch the middle order batsman`s edge. Also Read: 'How the hell do you bounce back': When Greg Chappell called Ravi Shastri to laud Team India Ben Stokes and Jos Buttler combined for a 32-run partnership before Australia captain Pat Cummins intervened, squaring up Stokes with a short ball that sent an edge flying to Green in the gully. Lyon nabbed his third wicket when Ollie Robinson top-edged an attempted reverse-sweep and then his fourth by bowling Mark Wood. Green completed England`s humiliation with his second wicket by having Chris Woakes caught behind for 16 to wrap up the innings.

Ashes: Milestone man Nathan Lyon helps Australia thump England by 9 wickets in first Test

Australian spin-bowling legend Shane Warne has reportedly got injured in a bike accident on Sunday, and though the injuries are not serious, he went to hospital as a precaution. 
 
Sydney Morning Herald, quoting News Corp said on Monday that, "Warne was riding his bike with his son Jackson when he fell off and slid for more than 15 metres. Shane Warne says he went to hospital as a precaution." 
 
According to the report, the 52-year-old who has played 145 Tests and is the second-highest wicket-taker in the longest format of the game at 708, avoided serious injury, "but woke up on Monday morning still in pain". 
 
"Fearing he may have broken his foot and/or damaged his hip, he went to hospital as a precaution," the report added. 
 
"I`m a bit battered and bruised and very sore," Warne told News Corp. 
 
Warne is in the Fox Sports` commentary team for the Ashes series beginning at the Gabba on December 8. 
 
Recently, Warne made critical remarks over Steve Smith being made vice-captain of the Australian Test side for the Ashes, saying that while the former captain can return to the leadership role, David Warner would remain suspended from captaining or vice-captaining his country again during his cricketing career. 
 
Smith, who has served a one-year ban for his involvement in ball-tampering in 2018, was appointed vice-captain of the Australian Test side ahead of the Ashes series, beginning on December 8. 
 
In the aftermath of the ball-tampering episode, also called `Sandpaper-gate`, that took place during the third Test against South Africa at Newlands in Cape Town in 2018, the then Australian skipper Smith, his deputy David Warner and team-mate Cameron Bancroft were banned for different periods of time. 
 
In addition to a one-year suspension, a two-year leadership ban was also imposed on Smith, while Warner, who was the then vice-captain, also received a year ban, as well as a lifetime leadership ban. 
 
Warne is not happy with the dichotomy in punishment for the same crime. 
 
--IANS 
 
akm/ 
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Australian spin-bowling legend Shane Warne has reportedly got injured in a bike accident on Sunday, and though the injuries are not serious, he went to hospital as a precaution.

Australian spin-bowling legend Shane Warne has reportedly got injured in a bike accident on Sunday, and though the injuries are not serious, he went to hospital as a precaution. Sydney Morning Herald, quoting News Corp said on Monday that, "Warne was riding his bike with his son Jackson when he fell off and slid for more than 15 metres. Shane Warne says he went to hospital as a precaution." According to the report, the 52-year-old who has played 145 Tests and is the second-highest wicket-taker in the longest format of the game at 708, avoided serious injury, "but woke up on Monday morning still in pain". "Fearing he may have broken his foot and/or damaged his hip, he went to hospital as a precaution," the report added. "I`m a bit battered and bruised and very sore," Warne told News Corp. Warne is in the Fox Sports` commentary team for the Ashes series beginning at the Gabba on December 8. Recently, Warne made critical remarks over Steve Smith being made vice-captain of the Australian Test side for the Ashes, saying that while the former captain can return to the leadership role, David Warner would remain suspended from captaining or vice-captaining his country again during his cricketing career. Smith, who has served a one-year ban for his involvement in ball-tampering in 2018, was appointed vice-captain of the Australian Test side ahead of the Ashes series, beginning on December 8. In the aftermath of the ball-tampering episode, also called `Sandpaper-gate`, that took place during the third Test against South Africa at Newlands in Cape Town in 2018, the then Australian skipper Smith, his deputy David Warner and team-mate Cameron Bancroft were banned for different periods of time. In addition to a one-year suspension, a two-year leadership ban was also imposed on Smith, while Warner, who was the then vice-captain, also received a year ban, as well as a lifetime leadership ban. Warne is not happy with the dichotomy in punishment for the same crime. --IANS akm/

Legendary Australian cricketer Shane Warne injured in bike accident

Australia has appointed Pat Cummins as the new captain of the Test side and Steve Smith as the vice-captain in the aftermath of Tim Paine's sexting scandal. Paine had stepped down as the captain of the Test side earlier this month due to his involvement in the sexting scandal. The wicket-keeper batter has opted for a mental break from cricket and will not feature in the upcoming Ashes 2021-2022.

While Cummins' appointment as the captain of the Test side has been welcomed by many, the decision to appoint Smith as the vice-captain of the side has not gone down well with many. Former Australian cricketer Ian Chappell has lashed out at Cricket Australia for handing out different treatment to David Warner and Smith.

Chappell is not happy with the fact that Smith has returned in a leadership role while Warner is barred from taking any captaincy roles in the future. Both Smith and Warner were banned for one year each by Cricket Australia for their involvement in the ball-tampering scandal which rocked Australian cricket in 2018.

“For starters, I have a problem — why is Steve Smith looked upon as a different punishment to David Warner? In fact, if anything, I think Smith’s crime was greater. For a captain to say, ‘I don’t want to know’ when cheating is involved, is not correct," said Chappell while speaking on 2GB’s Wide World of Sports radio on Saturday.

Chappell said both Warner and Smith should be banned from taking captaincy roles for life or they both should have the chance of leading the side. He called it unfair to bar Warner from leading the side while appointing Smith as the vice-captain.

Also Read:&nbsp;<a href="https://www.wionews.com/sports/i-am-sorry-for-the-hurt-michael-vaughan-apologises-to-azeem-rafiq-amid-racism-allegations-432353">'I am sorry for the hurt': Michael Vaughan apologises to Azeem Rafiq amid racism allegations</a>

“A captain’s got to know, he’s got to find out and he’s got to do something about it. Either Smith has a two-year ban from captaincy and so does Warner, or Smith has a life ban and so does Warner,” Chappell said.

Chappell also shared his two cents on Paine's sexting scandal and said had he done the same mistake, he would have expected Cricket Australia to sack him as captain but let him continue playing as a player.

“Cheating is cheating, whether it’s big cheating or little cheating, it’s still cheating in my book. If I’d have cheated as an Australian captain — I mean I made a lot of mistakes but I didn’t cheat. And if I had cheated, and if I had done what Tim Paine did, I would have expected Cricket Australia to not ask me to resign, they would have taken the job away from me and made sure I didn’t continue to play as a player,” Chappell added.

Australia has appointed Pat Cummins as the new captain of the Test side and Steve Smith as the vice-captain in the aftermath of Tim Paine's sexting scandal. Paine had stepped down as the captain of the Test side earlier this month due to his involvement in the sexting scandal.

Australia has appointed Pat Cummins as the new captain of the Test side and Steve Smith as the vice-captain in the aftermath of Tim Paine's sexting scandal. Paine had stepped down as the captain of the Test side earlier this month due to his involvement in the sexting scandal. The wicket-keeper batter has opted for a mental break from cricket and will not feature in the upcoming Ashes 2021-2022. While Cummins' appointment as the captain of the Test side has been welcomed by many, the decision to appoint Smith as the vice-captain of the side has not gone down well with many. Former Australian cricketer Ian Chappell has lashed out at Cricket Australia for handing out different treatment to David Warner and Smith. Chappell is not happy with the fact that Smith has returned in a leadership role while Warner is barred from taking any captaincy roles in the future. Both Smith and Warner were banned for one year each by Cricket Australia for their involvement in the ball-tampering scandal which rocked Australian cricket in 2018. “For starters, I have a problem — why is Steve Smith looked upon as a different punishment to David Warner? In fact, if anything, I think Smith’s crime was greater. For a captain to say, ‘I don’t want to know’ when cheating is involved, is not correct," said Chappell while speaking on 2GB’s Wide World of Sports radio on Saturday. Chappell said both Warner and Smith should be banned from taking captaincy roles for life or they both should have the chance of leading the side. He called it unfair to bar Warner from leading the side while appointing Smith as the vice-captain. Also Read: 'I am sorry for the hurt': Michael Vaughan apologises to Azeem Rafiq amid racism allegations “A captain’s got to know, he’s got to find out and he’s got to do something about it. Either Smith has a two-year ban from captaincy and so does Warner, or Smith has a life ban and so does Warner,” Chappell said. Chappell also shared his two cents on Paine's sexting scandal and said had he done the same mistake, he would have expected Cricket Australia to sack him as captain but let him continue playing as a player. “Cheating is cheating, whether it’s big cheating or little cheating, it’s still cheating in my book. If I’d have cheated as an Australian captain — I mean I made a lot of mistakes but I didn’t cheat. And if I had cheated, and if I had done what Tim Paine did, I would have expected Cricket Australia to not ask me to resign, they would have taken the job away from me and made sure I didn’t continue to play as a player,” Chappell added.

'Cheating is cheating': Ian Chappell slams Cricket Australia for appointing Steve Smith as vice-captain

Former Australia captain Ricky Ponting feels that the Tim Paine saga will be talked about wherever the Australian team will go during The Ashes. He added that it might end up distracting Paine and the Australian team in their quest to retain the Ashes at home. Paine had suddenly stepped down from being the Test captain on Friday after an off-field scandal involving text messages with a former Cricket Tasmania female staffer came into limelight. 
 
"As much as we would all love to see it go away and there comes a point where it`s never talked about, it`s inevitable that it`s going to be there. If he plays in Brisbane (for the first Test), the rest of the group and everyone needs to move on and do the best they can to forget about it and knuckle down," Ponting was quoted as saying by cricket.com.au on Wednesday. 
 
"I think inevitably it will (be a distraction). Yes, he`s made a huge call for himself, for Australian cricket and for the betterment of the Australian cricket team. But it`s not going to go away. We`re only a few weeks out from the first Test - it will bubble along," added Ponting.

ALSO READ |&nbsp;<a href="https://www.wionews.com/sports/pat-cummins-interviewed-by-ca-for-test-captaincy-steve-smith-likely-to-be-pacers-deputy-reports-431553">Pat Cummins interviewed by CA for Test captaincy, Steve Smith likely to be pacer's deputy: Reports</a>

He also thinks that Paine will be asked about the scandal wherever he goes in future. "Unfortunately for Tim he`s going to get asked about it everywhere he goes. Whenever you make mistakes and you`ve got to front up in front of the cricket-loving public, you have some doubts in the back of your mind for a period of time." 
 
The 46-year-old believes that Paine making an on-field comeback after a neck surgery will provide him solace. In a match for Tasmania`s second XI, Paine took six catches but made just one run with the bat. "When you`re out in the middle, that`s the only place you can get away from it. The first thing he did Saturday morning was put his club gear on, head out and try to play club cricket in Hobart, which is where he will find the most serenity. When he`s out in the middle he`s got something else to focus on and think about, which is cricket. It will blow over and hopefully it passes in enough time to have some really good clear headspace going into Brisbane." 
 
Ponting signed off by saying that wicketkeeper-batter Alex Carey could be a good pick if Paine doesn`t feature in the first Ashes Test at Brisbane. For future, his pick is Josh Inglis. "If he (Paine) plays this series and he finishes at the end of the series, they might look at a younger guy. If he`s not picked for Brisbane, they might think about someone who`s a bit more experienced, being an Ashes series. If Paine doesn`t play in Brisbane the obvious one is Alex Carey. If Paine does play the Ashes series, they might look at someone like Inglis post this summer." 
 
"I`m on record saying I love Inglis - I think he`s going to be a really good cricketer for Australia for a long time in whatever format they pick him in first, whether it`s T20s, one-dayers or Test cricket. Speaking to Brad Haddin and even `Painey`&nbsp;they really rate his keeping, they talk really highly of it. He could definitely be a long term, not just an international player, (but also) a Test player."

Former Australia captain Ricky Ponting feels that the Tim Paine saga will be talked about wherever the Australian team will go during The Ashes. He added that it might end up distracting Paine and the Australian team in their quest to retain the Ashes at home.

Former Australia captain Ricky Ponting feels that the Tim Paine saga will be talked about wherever the Australian team will go during The Ashes. He added that it might end up distracting Paine and the Australian team in their quest to retain the Ashes at home. Paine had suddenly stepped down from being the Test captain on Friday after an off-field scandal involving text messages with a former Cricket Tasmania female staffer came into limelight. "As much as we would all love to see it go away and there comes a point where it`s never talked about, it`s inevitable that it`s going to be there. If he plays in Brisbane (for the first Test), the rest of the group and everyone needs to move on and do the best they can to forget about it and knuckle down," Ponting was quoted as saying by cricket.com.au on Wednesday. "I think inevitably it will (be a distraction). Yes, he`s made a huge call for himself, for Australian cricket and for the betterment of the Australian cricket team. But it`s not going to go away. We`re only a few weeks out from the first Test - it will bubble along," added Ponting. ALSO READ | Pat Cummins interviewed by CA for Test captaincy, Steve Smith likely to be pacer's deputy: Reports He also thinks that Paine will be asked about the scandal wherever he goes in future. "Unfortunately for Tim he`s going to get asked about it everywhere he goes. Whenever you make mistakes and you`ve got to front up in front of the cricket-loving public, you have some doubts in the back of your mind for a period of time." The 46-year-old believes that Paine making an on-field comeback after a neck surgery will provide him solace. In a match for Tasmania`s second XI, Paine took six catches but made just one run with the bat. "When you`re out in the middle, that`s the only place you can get away from it. The first thing he did Saturday morning was put his club gear on, head out and try to play club cricket in Hobart, which is where he will find the most serenity. When he`s out in the middle he`s got something else to focus on and think about, which is cricket. It will blow over and hopefully it passes in enough time to have some really good clear headspace going into Brisbane." Ponting signed off by saying that wicketkeeper-batter Alex Carey could be a good pick if Paine doesn`t feature in the first Ashes Test at Brisbane. For future, his pick is Josh Inglis. "If he (Paine) plays this series and he finishes at the end of the series, they might look at a younger guy. If he`s not picked for Brisbane, they might think about someone who`s a bit more experienced, being an Ashes series. If Paine doesn`t play in Brisbane the obvious one is Alex Carey. If Paine does play the Ashes series, they might look at someone like Inglis post this summer." "I`m on record saying I love Inglis - I think he`s going to be a really good cricketer for Australia for a long time in whatever format they pick him in first, whether it`s T20s, one-dayers or Test cricket. Speaking to Brad Haddin and even `Painey` they really rate his keeping, they talk really highly of it. He could definitely be a long term, not just an international player, (but also) a Test player."

Inevitable that it's going to be there: Ricky Ponting feels Tim Paine saga will be discussed in Ashes 2021

Former Australia wicket-keeper Ian Healy has warned Cricket Australia (CA) against appointing Steve Smith as the captain of the Test team following Tim Paine's exit. Paine resigned as the Test captain of the side over his involvement in a sexting scandal back in 2017 when he had shared vulgar texts and graphics with a former female colleague.

Paine had admitted his actions from 2017 did not fit the 'standards' of that of an Australian Test captain or that in the general society while announcing his resignation just days ahead of the start of Ashes 2021. A number of names have come up in the fray to become the new captain of the Aussie Test team after Paine's resignation.

While Pat Cummins is reportedly the front runner for the top post, Smith's name has also been doing the rounds. Paine had replaced Smith as captain of the Test team back in 2018 after the latter was banned for a year for his role in the ball-tampering scandal in South Africa that rocked Australian cricket at the time.

Healy believes bringing Smith back as the Test captain will only add to the ongoing 'circus'. "We're going to add to the circus by Steve Smith being appointed after that (the Tim Paine episode)," Healy said in a podcast -Sportsday with Satts and Jase on Tuesday.

However, Healy insisted he doesn't consider Smith guilty for the ball-tampering saga that tainted Australian cricket back in 2018. The former wicket-keeper said Smith was not the one scratching the ball but could have been more proactive as captain and stopped what was going to happen.

"I've got no problems with Steve Smith captaining Australia again; he paid a heavy price for just being a lazy captain, that's about all he was guilty of," said Healey.

"Too many people around there think he was actually in there scratching that ball in South Africa, but if they've forgotten what happened he just wasn't aware enough as captain to pull the reins in and stop what was going to happen. That was his crime, and he got a year (ban) for it. So, I've got no problems, but I don't think he needs to come in as vice-captain or straight after Paine's indiscretion," he added.

Also Read:&nbsp;<a href="https://www.wionews.com/sports/bcci-bans-pork-beef-in-any-form-halal-meat-made-compulsory-for-indian-cricket-team-report-431377">BCCI bans pork, beef in any form; Halal meat made compulsory for Indian cricket team</a>

Cummins is reportedly the favourite to take over from Paine as the new captain of the Australian Test team after Paine's departure and has the backing of several former cricketers including the likes of Michael Clarke, Mark Waugh among others.

However, Cricket Australia might be reluctant on giving captaincy to a fast bowler which might see them go back to having Smith leading the side in the longest format once again.

Former Australia wicket-keeper Ian Healy has warned Cricket Australia (CA) against appointing Steve Smith as the captain of the Test team following Tim Paine's exit.

Former Australia wicket-keeper Ian Healy has warned Cricket Australia (CA) against appointing Steve Smith as the captain of the Test team following Tim Paine's exit. Paine resigned as the Test captain of the side over his involvement in a sexting scandal back in 2017 when he had shared vulgar texts and graphics with a former female colleague. Paine had admitted his actions from 2017 did not fit the 'standards' of that of an Australian Test captain or that in the general society while announcing his resignation just days ahead of the start of Ashes 2021. A number of names have come up in the fray to become the new captain of the Aussie Test team after Paine's resignation. While Pat Cummins is reportedly the front runner for the top post, Smith's name has also been doing the rounds. Paine had replaced Smith as captain of the Test team back in 2018 after the latter was banned for a year for his role in the ball-tampering scandal in South Africa that rocked Australian cricket at the time. Healy believes bringing Smith back as the Test captain will only add to the ongoing 'circus'. "We're going to add to the circus by Steve Smith being appointed after that (the Tim Paine episode)," Healy said in a podcast -Sportsday with Satts and Jase on Tuesday. However, Healy insisted he doesn't consider Smith guilty for the ball-tampering saga that tainted Australian cricket back in 2018. The former wicket-keeper said Smith was not the one scratching the ball but could have been more proactive as captain and stopped what was going to happen. "I've got no problems with Steve Smith captaining Australia again; he paid a heavy price for just being a lazy captain, that's about all he was guilty of," said Healey. "Too many people around there think he was actually in there scratching that ball in South Africa, but if they've forgotten what happened he just wasn't aware enough as captain to pull the reins in and stop what was going to happen. That was his crime, and he got a year (ban) for it. So, I've got no problems, but I don't think he needs to come in as vice-captain or straight after Paine's indiscretion," he added. Also Read: BCCI bans pork, beef in any form; Halal meat made compulsory for Indian cricket team Cummins is reportedly the favourite to take over from Paine as the new captain of the Australian Test team after Paine's departure and has the backing of several former cricketers including the likes of Michael Clarke, Mark Waugh among others. However, Cricket Australia might be reluctant on giving captaincy to a fast bowler which might see them go back to having Smith leading the side in the longest format once again.

'Will add to the circus': Former Australia cricketer warns CA against appointing Steve Smith as Test captain

Former Australia captain Michael Clarke has named his pick to become the next Aussie Test captain after Tim Paine stepped down from his post due to the sexting scandal. Paine announced his decision to quit Australia's Test captaincy last week while admitting that his actions from 2017 did not match the 'standards' of an Australian Test captain. Paine was involved in a sexting scandal in 2017 when he had exchanged lewd messages and graphics with a former female colleague.

In the aftermath of Paine's sensational resignation for the post, Australia have been left without a captain ahead of the start of Ashes 2021-22 from December 08. Clarke has put his weight behind senior fast bowler Pat Cummins, backing him to become the new Test captain of Australia. Cummins is one of the frontrunners to replace Paine with several former players in the favour of him becoming captain.

While there have been reports that former captain Steve Smith could be re-appointed as the skipper of the side, Clarke believes it is the right time for Cummins to take over. Clarke said the likes of Smith, David Warner, Mitchell Starc and others can help Cummins ease through captaincy in the current Test team.

"If we were three or five years on it might be different. But with so much seniority in the team, I think it is the right time for him. Because they can help him," Clarke said backing Cummins to become new Australian Test captain, on the Big Sports Breakfast show on Sky Sports Radio.

"Steve Smith, David Warner, Nathan Lyon, Mitchell Starc, Josh Hazlewood. These guys have played a truckload of Test cricket. They can be there to help him, with or without the C or VC next to his name," he added.

Cummins is one of the best Test bowlers in the world at present and has represented Australia in 34 Test matches with 164 wickets to his name. While his credentials can't be doubted, Australia, like other major Test nations have not been in favour of the idea of appointing a fast bowler as captain of the side.

Also Read:&nbsp;<a href="https://www.wionews.com/sports/explained-why-tim-paine-has-stepped-down-as-australias-test-captain-4-years-after-sexting-scandal-430424">Explained! Why Tim Paine has stepped down as Australia's Test captain 4 years after sexting scandal</a>

Ray Lindwall was the last bowler to lead Australia in a Test match in 1950 and the captains have since been from the batting ranks. However, Cummins has received the backing of many including Clarke, who feels he has what it takes to lead Australia in the longest format.

"You have to allow him time to get into this job. Because he hasn't had 10 years of captain first-grade or state cricket. But sometimes you can see certain things in people, and I think he's got it," Clarke said.

"He reads the game. He's a cricket captain. Looking at on the field tactics. The way he talks to his players. The way he sets the field when he bowls," he added.

Former Australia captain Michael Clarke has named his pick to become the next Aussie Test captain after Tim Paine stepped down from his post due to the sexting scandal.

Former Australia captain Michael Clarke has named his pick to become the next Aussie Test captain after Tim Paine stepped down from his post due to the sexting scandal. Paine announced his decision to quit Australia's Test captaincy last week while admitting that his actions from 2017 did not match the 'standards' of an Australian Test captain. Paine was involved in a sexting scandal in 2017 when he had exchanged lewd messages and graphics with a former female colleague. In the aftermath of Paine's sensational resignation for the post, Australia have been left without a captain ahead of the start of Ashes 2021-22 from December 08. Clarke has put his weight behind senior fast bowler Pat Cummins, backing him to become the new Test captain of Australia. Cummins is one of the frontrunners to replace Paine with several former players in the favour of him becoming captain. While there have been reports that former captain Steve Smith could be re-appointed as the skipper of the side, Clarke believes it is the right time for Cummins to take over. Clarke said the likes of Smith, David Warner, Mitchell Starc and others can help Cummins ease through captaincy in the current Test team. "If we were three or five years on it might be different. But with so much seniority in the team, I think it is the right time for him. Because they can help him," Clarke said backing Cummins to become new Australian Test captain, on the Big Sports Breakfast show on Sky Sports Radio. "Steve Smith, David Warner, Nathan Lyon, Mitchell Starc, Josh Hazlewood. These guys have played a truckload of Test cricket. They can be there to help him, with or without the C or VC next to his name," he added. Cummins is one of the best Test bowlers in the world at present and has represented Australia in 34 Test matches with 164 wickets to his name. While his credentials can't be doubted, Australia, like other major Test nations have not been in favour of the idea of appointing a fast bowler as captain of the side. Also Read: Explained! Why Tim Paine has stepped down as Australia's Test captain 4 years after sexting scandal Ray Lindwall was the last bowler to lead Australia in a Test match in 1950 and the captains have since been from the batting ranks. However, Cummins has received the backing of many including Clarke, who feels he has what it takes to lead Australia in the longest format. "You have to allow him time to get into this job. Because he hasn't had 10 years of captain first-grade or state cricket. But sometimes you can see certain things in people, and I think he's got it," Clarke said. "He reads the game. He's a cricket captain. Looking at on the field tactics. The way he talks to his players. The way he sets the field when he bowls," he added.

Not Steve Smith! Michael Clarke picks Australia's next Test captain after Tim Paine's exit

Redemption is not easy, but not if you are David Warner. A force to reckon with in T20 cricket, the Australian southpaw has proved time and again he is one of the best the format has ever seen. No stranger to adversities, Warner faced yet another one this year and came out of it all guns blazing to turn things around in a matter of days.

Let's go back a few weeks, it's the start of Sunrisers Hyderabad's campaign in the second leg of IPL 2021. The margin of error is nil as Kane Williamson &amp; Co. need to win at least six of the remaining seven matches to stand a chance at qualifying for the playoffs. They open their campaign against Delhi Capitals with David Warner opening the batting.

Three balls into the game and Warner is gone for a duck at the Dubai Stadium. Disappointed but not shattered, Warner heads back to the dressing room without the slightest of ideas that he is all set to endure the worst phase of his IPL career. Sacked as captain earlier in the season, Warner is dropped from the playing XI for the remainder of the season.

Warner was left hung out to dry as the franchise that he had always given his 200% to made it all but obvious that they were looking beyond him. The treatment dished out to their only title-winning captain&nbsp;appeared unfair to many and could have shaken the confidence of even the best of cricketers around.

But, not David Warner. He had seen tougher times in the past and had come out triumphant each time he was buried down the ground. Another redemption tale was in the making and Warner had a shot at it just days after the conclusion of what was his worst ever IPL as he donned the Aussie jersey in the T20 World Cup 2021.

On November 14, Warner stood with the Player of the Tournament in his hands at the same Dubai Stadium where he had been dismissed on a duck weeks ago and had been dumped&nbsp;out of his beloved IPL side without being given an explanation after playing what seemed to be his last game for Sunrisers Hyderabad. Warner was elated but he always knew his chance would come and that he had to make the most of it.

Warner admitted he 'trained the hardest' and didn't miss even a single batting session in the nets during the T20 World Cup as he went on to script a redemption tale from ages.&nbsp;

The same stands in the UAE from where he once cheered for SRH after being deemed not deserving to make it to their playing XI, became his dumping ground for sixes as life came full circle for the Australian opener, who strongly believes sport is a great leveller and there will always be a second chance if you work the hardest.

<img alt="David Warner" data-entity-type="file" data-entity-uuid="300d1f74-23fb-4766-ba57-d5ccdc104583" src="//cdn.wionews.com/sites/default/files/inline-images/Warner%20Smith.png" />

289 runs in seven matches including a match-winning half-century in the final meant, Warner not only powered Australia to their maiden T20 World Cup crown but ensured he had responded to his critics and did it in style. Unfortunately for Warner, not many of those critics were outside the SRH dressing room but with a smile on his face and the willow in his hand, he had answered them all.

Australian captain Aaron Finch didn't mince his words when he was flooded with questions about what had been an incredible comeback from Warner. Finch never once doubted that Warner's IPL woes would hamper his performances in the T20 World Cup, considering the pedigree of the southpaw, who has over the years established himself as one of the most prolific run-getters in the shortest format.

Finch, who had an eye of a captain, told reporters he had himself called head coach Justin Langer days ahead of the start of the T20 World Cup to tell him not to worry about Warner. Finch said he knew Warner will have a tournament to remember and what transpired in UAE was nothing short of extraordinary as his trust in his teammate paid huge dividends.

"Without a word of a lie, I promise you, I called Justin Langer a few months ago and said, 'Don't worry about Davey, he'll be Man of the Tournament'," Finch had said. The Australian skipper rightly put it when he said calling Warner out of form was like 'poking a bear'.

From not being able to get into an IPL playing XI, Warner stood with the Player of the Tournament award and a T20 World Cup trophy in a matter of just days.

<img alt="Australia" data-entity-type="file" data-entity-uuid="21ae2876-080b-4afa-aa4d-f396822f4106" src="//cdn.wionews.com/sites/default/files/inline-images/000_9RN2NN%20%281%29.jpg" />

But it wasn't the usual Warner that everyone associates with who turned up in UAE, it was a&nbsp;different side of the superstar batter on display, as he headed into the T20 World Cup with a completely different approach and took it upon him to do the majority of the run-scoring.

Shifting gears when needed and playing out overs from dangerous bowlers, Warner showed incredible maturity, remarkable intent and went about his business like he was coming off one of those dashing IPL campaigns that he is usually known for. He finished as Australia's top scorer in the tournament and was awarded the highest individual honour in what was poetic justice for the Aussie star.

A treatment like the one meted out to Warner by his IPL team could have proven disastrous for even the toughest of characters ahead of an important World Cup but it was just another learning experience for the 35-year-old, who created no fuss and waited for his shot at redemption while respecting his franchise throughout a painful journey on the sidelines.

Warner's redemption tale proves that sport is a great leveller and that fairytales do exist for those who fight for them. 
&nbsp;

Redemption is not easy, but not if you are David Warner. A force to reckon with in T20 cricket, the Australian southpaw has proved time and again he is one of the best the format has ever seen.

Redemption is not easy, but not if you are David Warner. A force to reckon with in T20 cricket, the Australian southpaw has proved time and again he is one of the best the format has ever seen. No stranger to adversities, Warner faced yet another one this year and came out of it all guns blazing to turn things around in a matter of days. Let's go back a few weeks, it's the start of Sunrisers Hyderabad's campaign in the second leg of IPL 2021. The margin of error is nil as Kane Williamson & Co. need to win at least six of the remaining seven matches to stand a chance at qualifying for the playoffs. They open their campaign against Delhi Capitals with David Warner opening the batting. Three balls into the game and Warner is gone for a duck at the Dubai Stadium. Disappointed but not shattered, Warner heads back to the dressing room without the slightest of ideas that he is all set to endure the worst phase of his IPL career. Sacked as captain earlier in the season, Warner is dropped from the playing XI for the remainder of the season. Warner was left hung out to dry as the franchise that he had always given his 200% to made it all but obvious that they were looking beyond him. The treatment dished out to their only title-winning captain appeared unfair to many and could have shaken the confidence of even the best of cricketers around. But, not David Warner. He had seen tougher times in the past and had come out triumphant each time he was buried down the ground. Another redemption tale was in the making and Warner had a shot at it just days after the conclusion of what was his worst ever IPL as he donned the Aussie jersey in the T20 World Cup 2021. On November 14, Warner stood with the Player of the Tournament in his hands at the same Dubai Stadium where he had been dismissed on a duck weeks ago and had been dumped out of his beloved IPL side without being given an explanation after playing what seemed to be his last game for Sunrisers Hyderabad. Warner was elated but he always knew his chance would come and that he had to make the most of it. Warner admitted he 'trained the hardest' and didn't miss even a single batting session in the nets during the T20 World Cup as he went on to script a redemption tale from ages. The same stands in the UAE from where he once cheered for SRH after being deemed not deserving to make it to their playing XI, became his dumping ground for sixes as life came full circle for the Australian opener, who strongly believes sport is a great leveller and there will always be a second chance if you work the hardest. 289 runs in seven matches including a match-winning half-century in the final meant, Warner not only powered Australia to their maiden T20 World Cup crown but ensured he had responded to his critics and did it in style. Unfortunately for Warner, not many of those critics were outside the SRH dressing room but with a smile on his face and the willow in his hand, he had answered them all. Australian captain Aaron Finch didn't mince his words when he was flooded with questions about what had been an incredible comeback from Warner. Finch never once doubted that Warner's IPL woes would hamper his performances in the T20 World Cup, considering the pedigree of the southpaw, who has over the years established himself as one of the most prolific run-getters in the shortest format. Finch, who had an eye of a captain, told reporters he had himself called head coach Justin Langer days ahead of the start of the T20 World Cup to tell him not to worry about Warner. Finch said he knew Warner will have a tournament to remember and what transpired in UAE was nothing short of extraordinary as his trust in his teammate paid huge dividends. "Without a word of a lie, I promise you, I called Justin Langer a few months ago and said, 'Don't worry about Davey, he'll be Man of the Tournament'," Finch had said. The Australian skipper rightly put it when he said calling Warner out of form was like 'poking a bear'. From not being able to get into an IPL playing XI, Warner stood with the Player of the Tournament award and a T20 World Cup trophy in a matter of just days. But it wasn't the usual Warner that everyone associates with who turned up in UAE, it was a different side of the superstar batter on display, as he headed into the T20 World Cup with a completely different approach and took it upon him to do the majority of the run-scoring. Shifting gears when needed and playing out overs from dangerous bowlers, Warner showed incredible maturity, remarkable intent and went about his business like he was coming off one of those dashing IPL campaigns that he is usually known for. He finished as Australia's top scorer in the tournament and was awarded the highest individual honour in what was poetic justice for the Aussie star. A treatment like the one meted out to Warner by his IPL team could have proven disastrous for even the toughest of characters ahead of an important World Cup but it was just another learning experience for the 35-year-old, who created no fuss and waited for his shot at redemption while respecting his franchise throughout a painful journey on the sidelines. Warner's redemption tale proves that sport is a great leveller and that fairytales do exist for those who fight for them.

David Warner's redemption tale is one for the ages

Tim Paine recently stepped down as the captain of the Australian Test team after the reemergence of the sexting scandal that he was involved in. Paine had exchanged sexual graphics and lewd messages with a female co-worker in 2017. He was later cleared after the&nbsp;matter was investigated by Cricket Australia and Cricket Tasmania.

However, the case has been brought up again which forced Paine to quit as the Test captain while admitting that his actions back in 2017 did not fit the standards of an Australian Test skipper or that of the wider community. Paine has now opened up on the scandal which has tainted his career and prompted him to resign at a crucial juncture just days ahead of the start of Ashes 2021-22.

Paine said he knew that the scandal was going to come back to haunt him at some point. However, he insisted that the exchange he had with the female colleague was a consensual one and he never thought it was going to become an issue in the future.

“I thought the issue was dealt with, but it always popped up around a big series, or at the start of the cricket season. Over the last three years, there have been numerous times where media agencies have put to us that they had evidence, yet they never chose to write it. But I knew it was going to come out at some point, as much as I didn’t want it to,” Paine told the Herald Sun.

“Because it was a consensual exchange of messages months beforehand, I didn’t think it was anything to consider. I never thought for a moment that it would become an issue. I was just excited and honoured to be asked,” he added.

Also Read:&nbsp;<a href="https://www.wionews.com/sports/explained-why-tim-paine-has-stepped-down-as-australias-test-captain-4-years-after-sexting-scandal-430424">Explained! Why Tim Paine has stepped down as Australia's Test captain 4 years after sexting scandal</a>

Paine, who was recalled in the Australian Test team in 2018, was elevated to captaincy after the ball-tampering scandal in the same year which had led to Steve Smith getting banned for a year. Paine has since had a great rise as the captain of the side and helped Australia retain the Urn in Ashes 2019.

The wicket-keeper batter is hopeful of taking part in the upcoming Ashes in Australia as a player despite having relinquished captaincy over the sexting scandal and wants to finish his career on a high by winning the Ashes.

“Yep, I’m sure I can. I see that as the ultimate high, to be able to finish your Test career after winning an Ashes series in Australia. That’s the dream. That’s what I want to do,” said Paine.

Tim Paine recently stepped down as the captain of the Australian Test team after the reemergence of the sexting scandal that he was involved in. Paine had exchanged sexual graphics and lewd messages with a female co-worker in 2017.

Tim Paine recently stepped down as the captain of the Australian Test team after the reemergence of the sexting scandal that he was involved in. Paine had exchanged sexual graphics and lewd messages with a female co-worker in 2017. He was later cleared after the matter was investigated by Cricket Australia and Cricket Tasmania. However, the case has been brought up again which forced Paine to quit as the Test captain while admitting that his actions back in 2017 did not fit the standards of an Australian Test skipper or that of the wider community. Paine has now opened up on the scandal which has tainted his career and prompted him to resign at a crucial juncture just days ahead of the start of Ashes 2021-22. Paine said he knew that the scandal was going to come back to haunt him at some point. However, he insisted that the exchange he had with the female colleague was a consensual one and he never thought it was going to become an issue in the future. “I thought the issue was dealt with, but it always popped up around a big series, or at the start of the cricket season. Over the last three years, there have been numerous times where media agencies have put to us that they had evidence, yet they never chose to write it. But I knew it was going to come out at some point, as much as I didn’t want it to,” Paine told the Herald Sun. “Because it was a consensual exchange of messages months beforehand, I didn’t think it was anything to consider. I never thought for a moment that it would become an issue. I was just excited and honoured to be asked,” he added. Also Read: Explained! Why Tim Paine has stepped down as Australia's Test captain 4 years after sexting scandal Paine, who was recalled in the Australian Test team in 2018, was elevated to captaincy after the ball-tampering scandal in the same year which had led to Steve Smith getting banned for a year. Paine has since had a great rise as the captain of the side and helped Australia retain the Urn in Ashes 2019. The wicket-keeper batter is hopeful of taking part in the upcoming Ashes in Australia as a player despite having relinquished captaincy over the sexting scandal and wants to finish his career on a high by winning the Ashes. “Yep, I’m sure I can. I see that as the ultimate high, to be able to finish your Test career after winning an Ashes series in Australia. That’s the dream. That’s what I want to do,” said Paine.

Tim Paine opens up on sexting scandal: Was a consensual exchange, never thought would become an issue

Pat Cummins emerged as the frontrunner Saturday to take over from disgraced former Australia Test skipper Tim Paine, with the likes of Mark Taylor, Dennis Lillie, and Steve Waugh all singing his praises.

The 28-year-old, who has served as vice-captain in both Test and white-ball formats since 2019, is widely seen as in a two-way race with Steve Smith to assume the reins after Paine's shock departure on Friday over a sexting scandal.

The bombshell move came just weeks before the blockbuster Ashes series against arch-rivals England, with selectors expected to act quickly to anoint a successor.

Paine stepped down after a series of allegedly sexually graphic text message exchanges with a Cricket Tasmania employee in 2017 came to light, despite being cleared by cricket authorities of any offence at the time.

Smith, who was stripped of the captain's armband and banned for a year after a ball-tampering scandal in South Africa in 2018 which culminated with Paine taking over, has support to complete a remarkable career revival.

But Cummins appears to be the heir apparent, with Smith tipped to be his deputy.

If appointed, Cummins will become the first specialist fast bowler to captain the side since Ray Lindwall did so for a single Test in 1956.

Former captain and Cricket Australia board director Mark Taylor said he expected the governing body would make a clean break with the past given the circumstances in which Paine quit.

"I think CA will probably want to go for someone fresh and clean. The timing will make it a more comfortable decision for CA to make Pat the captain. It will be hard to go back after another controversy to Steve," he told the Sydney Morning Herald Saturday.

"I know Pat very well, he's a terrific fella," he added. "I think it is harder for a quick bowler to be captain, but in terms of leadership he will be very good because he's a good, solid human being."

Fast bowling great Lillie is also a big fan, having mentored Cummins in recent years.

"He's an intelligent guy but more than that, he's got real cricket smarts," he told cricket.com.au before Paine's announcement.

Despite Australia never before opting for a fast bowler as permanent captain, Lillie doesn't see a problem, pointing to other teams successfully going down this route.

"There's been fast bowlers who have captained. Imran Khan (Pakistan), Bob Willis (England) ...they are modern cricketers that have proven really strongly that a fast bowler certainly can captain the side."

Fellow Australia legend Waugh also has faith in Cummins, but said he would need to lean on his deputy, particularly while bowling.

"I've always thought that if he's bowling the vice-captain could set the field to give him a mental break," Waugh said. "He has good acumen, the respect of the players and he's ready to go."

While Cummins and Smith are at the forefront, Josh Hazlewood and Travis Head -- who are both in the Ashes squad -- have also been vice-captain at various stages.

Paine has only stood down as skipper and insisted in his tearful press conference that he still wants to keep wicket against England, but that appears in doubt.

"I'd say it's going to be tough for him to hold his spot in the team now," former national selector and Test star Mark Waugh told commercial radio station 2GB.

"He's 36 years of age, he's coming back from injury, and he's got this scandal hanging over his head ... there's a lot of things against Tim Paine now."

If Paine is cut loose, Alex Carey or Josh Inglis could take the gloves for the opening Test in Brisbane on December 8.

Pat Cummins emerged as the frontrunner Saturday to take over from disgraced former Australia Test skipper Tim Paine, with the likes of Mark Taylor, Dennis Lillie, and Steve Waugh all singing his praises.

Pat Cummins emerged as the frontrunner Saturday to take over from disgraced former Australia Test skipper Tim Paine, with the likes of Mark Taylor, Dennis Lillie, and Steve Waugh all singing his praises. The 28-year-old, who has served as vice-captain in both Test and white-ball formats since 2019, is widely seen as in a two-way race with Steve Smith to assume the reins after Paine's shock departure on Friday over a sexting scandal. The bombshell move came just weeks before the blockbuster Ashes series against arch-rivals England, with selectors expected to act quickly to anoint a successor. Paine stepped down after a series of allegedly sexually graphic text message exchanges with a Cricket Tasmania employee in 2017 came to light, despite being cleared by cricket authorities of any offence at the time. Smith, who was stripped of the captain's armband and banned for a year after a ball-tampering scandal in South Africa in 2018 which culminated with Paine taking over, has support to complete a remarkable career revival. But Cummins appears to be the heir apparent, with Smith tipped to be his deputy. If appointed, Cummins will become the first specialist fast bowler to captain the side since Ray Lindwall did so for a single Test in 1956. Former captain and Cricket Australia board director Mark Taylor said he expected the governing body would make a clean break with the past given the circumstances in which Paine quit. "I think CA will probably want to go for someone fresh and clean. The timing will make it a more comfortable decision for CA to make Pat the captain. It will be hard to go back after another controversy to Steve," he told the Sydney Morning Herald Saturday. "I know Pat very well, he's a terrific fella," he added. "I think it is harder for a quick bowler to be captain, but in terms of leadership he will be very good because he's a good, solid human being." Fast bowling great Lillie is also a big fan, having mentored Cummins in recent years. "He's an intelligent guy but more than that, he's got real cricket smarts," he told cricket.com.au before Paine's announcement. Despite Australia never before opting for a fast bowler as permanent captain, Lillie doesn't see a problem, pointing to other teams successfully going down this route. "There's been fast bowlers who have captained. Imran Khan (Pakistan), Bob Willis (England) ...they are modern cricketers that have proven really strongly that a fast bowler certainly can captain the side." Fellow Australia legend Waugh also has faith in Cummins, but said he would need to lean on his deputy, particularly while bowling. "I've always thought that if he's bowling the vice-captain could set the field to give him a mental break," Waugh said. "He has good acumen, the respect of the players and he's ready to go." While Cummins and Smith are at the forefront, Josh Hazlewood and Travis Head -- who are both in the Ashes squad -- have also been vice-captain at various stages. Paine has only stood down as skipper and insisted in his tearful press conference that he still wants to keep wicket against England, but that appears in doubt. "I'd say it's going to be tough for him to hold his spot in the team now," former national selector and Test star Mark Waugh told commercial radio station 2GB. "He's 36 years of age, he's coming back from injury, and he's got this scandal hanging over his head ... there's a lot of things against Tim Paine now." If Paine is cut loose, Alex Carey or Josh Inglis could take the gloves for the opening Test in Brisbane on December 8.

Pat Cummins the frontrunner to lead Australia in Tests after Tim Paine scandal

Former Australia captain Kim Hughes has slammed Cricket Australia (CA) for appointing Tim Paine as captain of the Test team despite being aware of his off-field scandal. Paine stepped down as the captain of the Australian Test team on Friday (November 19) owing to his involvement in a sexting scandal dating back to 2017.

Paine had exchanged lewd text messages and graphic images with one of his female co-workers in 2017. Cricket Australia and Cricket Tasmania conducted an investigation into the matter at the time and had ruled that Paine didn't break the Cricket Australia Code of Conduct. The investigation ruled that the exchange was mutual between two adults and was not repeated.

However, on Friday, Paine admitted his actions from 2017 were regrettable and 'do not meet the standard of an Australian cricket captain, or the wider community'. Thus, he decided to quit as Test captain of the Australian team just days ahead of the start of the Ashes 2021-22.

Hughes has lashed out at Cricket Australia for ignoring Paine's off-field scandal despite knowing about it and appointing him as the captain of the Test team in 2018. Paine was appointed as the skipper of the Test side in the wake of the ball-tampering scandal in 2018.

"Paine did what he had to do but what I find staggering is that Cricket Australia reviewed the situation and did nothing," Hughes said while speaking to&nbsp;Five AA radio in Adelaide.

"The standard you walk past is the standard you accept. Integrity? You've got to be kidding me. For god's sake. You found that out and then said well that's still acceptable and to appoint him captain? Give me a break. It's absolutely staggering," he added.

Also Read:&nbsp;<a href="https://www.wionews.com/sports/explained-why-tim-paine-has-stepped-down-as-australias-test-captain-4-years-after-sexting-scandal-430424">Explained! Why Tim Paine has stepped down as Australia's Test captain 4 years after sexting scandal</a>

&nbsp;With Paine stepping down as captain, Cricket Australia don't have much time to announce his replacement as the first Ashes Test is scheduled to get underway on December 08. Pat Cummins is reportedly leading the race to become the new captain of the Australian Test team and has been backed by the likes of Steve Waugh, Ian Chappell and Brad Hogg among others.

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Former Australia captain Kim Hughes has slammed Cricket Australia (CA) for appointing Tim Paine as captain of the Test team despite being aware of his off-field scandal.

Former Australia captain Kim Hughes has slammed Cricket Australia (CA) for appointing Tim Paine as captain of the Test team despite being aware of his off-field scandal. Paine stepped down as the captain of the Australian Test team on Friday (November 19) owing to his involvement in a sexting scandal dating back to 2017. Paine had exchanged lewd text messages and graphic images with one of his female co-workers in 2017. Cricket Australia and Cricket Tasmania conducted an investigation into the matter at the time and had ruled that Paine didn't break the Cricket Australia Code of Conduct. The investigation ruled that the exchange was mutual between two adults and was not repeated. However, on Friday, Paine admitted his actions from 2017 were regrettable and 'do not meet the standard of an Australian cricket captain, or the wider community'. Thus, he decided to quit as Test captain of the Australian team just days ahead of the start of the Ashes 2021-22. Hughes has lashed out at Cricket Australia for ignoring Paine's off-field scandal despite knowing about it and appointing him as the captain of the Test team in 2018. Paine was appointed as the skipper of the Test side in the wake of the ball-tampering scandal in 2018. "Paine did what he had to do but what I find staggering is that Cricket Australia reviewed the situation and did nothing," Hughes said while speaking to Five AA radio in Adelaide. "The standard you walk past is the standard you accept. Integrity? You've got to be kidding me. For god's sake. You found that out and then said well that's still acceptable and to appoint him captain? Give me a break. It's absolutely staggering," he added. Also Read: Explained! Why Tim Paine has stepped down as Australia's Test captain 4 years after sexting scandal With Paine stepping down as captain, Cricket Australia don't have much time to announce his replacement as the first Ashes Test is scheduled to get underway on December 08. Pat Cummins is reportedly leading the race to become the new captain of the Australian Test team and has been backed by the likes of Steve Waugh, Ian Chappell and Brad Hogg among others.

Absolutely staggering! CA slammed for appointing Tim Paine as captain despite knowing about his scandal

Tim Paine on Friday (November 19) announced he will be stepping down as Australia's Test captain while apologising for his actions four years ago. Paine has been forced to resign over a sexting scandal involving him and a former female colleague from 2017. Paine's abrupt decision to quit captaincy just days ahead of the start of Ashes has left the cricket fraternity in shock.

While addressing the media in Hobart on Friday, Paine was in tears as he announced his decision to quit Test captaincy. He later released a full statement on his decision to step down from his post.

The messages exchanged between him and his former co-worker&nbsp;date&nbsp;back to 2017. Paine was cleared by Cricket Australia and Cricket Tasmania at the time but the re-emergence of the investigation has prompted him to take a call on his future as the captain of the Australian Test team.&nbsp;

"Today, I'm announcing my decision to stand down as the captain of the Australian men's test team. It's an incredibly difficult decision, but the right one for me, my family, and cricket," Paine said in his statement.

Also Read:&nbsp;<a href="https://www.wionews.com/sports/martin-guptill-on-cusp-of-breaking-virat-kohlis-elusive-record-as-india-take-on-new-zealand-in-2nd-t20i-430417">Guptill on cusp of breaking&nbsp;Kohli's elusive record as India take on New Zealand in 2nd T20I</a>

<h2>Why has Tim Paine resigned four years after the investigation?</h2>

In 2017, months before he was recalled in the Australian Test team after a gap of seven years, Paine was in the middle of a sexting scandal. He had exchanged sexual graphics with a female co-worker. The exchange was subject to a CA Integrity Unit investigation and the matter was investigated by Cricket Australia and Cricket Tasmania with full cooperation from Paine.

It was later ruled that there was no breach of Cricket Australia's Code of Conduct by Paine and he was given a clean chit. However, Paine admitted he regretted the incident at the time and has insisted his actions from 2017 'do not meet the standard of an Australian cricket captain, or the wider community'.

Paine's admission has come in the wake of being&nbsp;named in a News Corp report which has decided to make his chats with his female co-worker public. The fact that his chats will soon go public has forced Paine to relinquish Test captaincy after consulting with his family and Cricket Australia.

"As a background on my decision, nearly four years ago, I was involved in a text exchange with a then-colleague. At the time, the exchange was the subject of a thorough CA Integrity Unit investigation, throughout which I fully participated in and openly participated in," Paine said in his statement.

"That investigation and a Cricket Tasmania HR investigation at the same time found that there had been no breach of the Cricket Australia Code of Conduct. Although exonerated, I deeply regretted this incident at the time, and still do today. I spoke to my wife and family at the time and am enormously grateful for their forgiveness and support. We thought this incident was behind us and that I could focus entirely on the team, as I have done for the last three or four years.

"However, I recently became aware that this private text exchange was going to become public. On reflection, my actions in 2017 do not meet the standard of an Australian cricket captain, or the wider community. I'm deeply sorry for the hurt and pain that I have caused to my wife, my family, and to the other party. I'm sorry for any damage that this does to the reputation of our sport," he added explaining the reason behind his decision.

Also Read:&nbsp;<a href="https://www.wionews.com/sports/im-sorry-for-any-damage-australias-tim-paine-resigns-as-captain-after-his-involvement-in-sexting-scandal-430408">Australia's Tim Paine resigns as captain after his involvement in sexting scandal</a>

Paine had a remarkable rise after being recalled in the Australian Test team after seven years in 2018 as he was soon elevated to captaincy in the aftermath of the ball-tampering scandal. The ball-tampering scandal saw Steve Smith getting sacked as then Australian Test captain and subsequently being banned from all cricket for a year.

Paine replaced Smith in the aftermath of the controversy and helped Australia retain the Ashes in 2019. The Australian cricket board has accepted Paine's resignation as captain and will be soon announcing the new captain of the Aussie Test team. While he has stepped down as captain, Paine has made himself available for selection as a player for the upcoming Ashes.

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Tim Paine on Friday (November 19) announced he will be stepping down as Australia's Test captain while apologising for his actions four years ago. Paine has been forced to resign over a sexting scandal involving him and a former female colleague from 2017.

Tim Paine on Friday (November 19) announced he will be stepping down as Australia's Test captain while apologising for his actions four years ago. Paine has been forced to resign over a sexting scandal involving him and a former female colleague from 2017. Paine's abrupt decision to quit captaincy just days ahead of the start of Ashes has left the cricket fraternity in shock. While addressing the media in Hobart on Friday, Paine was in tears as he announced his decision to quit Test captaincy. He later released a full statement on his decision to step down from his post. The messages exchanged between him and his former co-worker date back to 2017. Paine was cleared by Cricket Australia and Cricket Tasmania at the time but the re-emergence of the investigation has prompted him to take a call on his future as the captain of the Australian Test team. "Today, I'm announcing my decision to stand down as the captain of the Australian men's test team. It's an incredibly difficult decision, but the right one for me, my family, and cricket," Paine said in his statement. Also Read: Guptill on cusp of breaking Kohli's elusive record as India take on New Zealand in 2nd T20I Why has Tim Paine resigned four years after the investigation? In 2017, months before he was recalled in the Australian Test team after a gap of seven years, Paine was in the middle of a sexting scandal. He had exchanged sexual graphics with a female co-worker. The exchange was subject to a CA Integrity Unit investigation and the matter was investigated by Cricket Australia and Cricket Tasmania with full cooperation from Paine. It was later ruled that there was no breach of Cricket Australia's Code of Conduct by Paine and he was given a clean chit. However, Paine admitted he regretted the incident at the time and has insisted his actions from 2017 'do not meet the standard of an Australian cricket captain, or the wider community'. Paine's admission has come in the wake of being named in a News Corp report which has decided to make his chats with his female co-worker public. The fact that his chats will soon go public has forced Paine to relinquish Test captaincy after consulting with his family and Cricket Australia. "As a background on my decision, nearly four years ago, I was involved in a text exchange with a then-colleague. At the time, the exchange was the subject of a thorough CA Integrity Unit investigation, throughout which I fully participated in and openly participated in," Paine said in his statement. "That investigation and a Cricket Tasmania HR investigation at the same time found that there had been no breach of the Cricket Australia Code of Conduct. Although exonerated, I deeply regretted this incident at the time, and still do today. I spoke to my wife and family at the time and am enormously grateful for their forgiveness and support. We thought this incident was behind us and that I could focus entirely on the team, as I have done for the last three or four years. "However, I recently became aware that this private text exchange was going to become public. On reflection, my actions in 2017 do not meet the standard of an Australian cricket captain, or the wider community. I'm deeply sorry for the hurt and pain that I have caused to my wife, my family, and to the other party. I'm sorry for any damage that this does to the reputation of our sport," he added explaining the reason behind his decision. Also Read: Australia's Tim Paine resigns as captain after his involvement in sexting scandal Paine had a remarkable rise after being recalled in the Australian Test team after seven years in 2018 as he was soon elevated to captaincy in the aftermath of the ball-tampering scandal. The ball-tampering scandal saw Steve Smith getting sacked as then Australian Test captain and subsequently being banned from all cricket for a year. Paine replaced Smith in the aftermath of the controversy and helped Australia retain the Ashes in 2019. The Australian cricket board has accepted Paine's resignation as captain and will be soon announcing the new captain of the Aussie Test team. While he has stepped down as captain, Paine has made himself available for selection as a player for the upcoming Ashes.

Explained! Why Tim Paine has stepped down as Australia's Test captain 4 years after sexting scandal

Australia vice-captain Pat Cummins who has taken 164 wickets and made 708 runs in 34 Tests he has played so far, stated on Wednesday that if regular Test skipper Tim Paine isn't healthy for the start of the Ashes series, he will be ready to share the responsibility of captaincy.&nbsp;

Australia have announced a 15-man team for the first two Ashes Tests, with skipper Tim Paine included despite having surgery to repair a bulging disc in his neck in September.&nbsp;

"Hopefully Tim will be fine, he's nearing 100 per cent ... But I'll be ready if I have to, but I doubt that," said Cummins to Channel Nine. If he finds the task difficult, the pacer says he can always seek advice from senior players in the team, including former captain Steve Smith and David Warner.

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"If I was in the role and I found it tough, at times, there's ten other guys I'd lean on out in the middle. You've got people like Smithy and Davey Warner who are incredibly experienced, all the bowlers are experienced and look after themselves pretty well so I'd have no issues handballing it over to other people to help out."

Since&nbsp;February,&nbsp;the&nbsp;28-year-old&nbsp;has&nbsp;not&nbsp;played&nbsp;in&nbsp;a&nbsp;first-class&nbsp;match.&nbsp;He also missed Australia's limited-overs trips to the West Indies and Bangladesh, as well as the second leg of the IPL, before appearing in all of Australia's T20 World Cup games.&nbsp;

The All-rounder,&nbsp;on&nbsp;the&nbsp;other&nbsp;hand,&nbsp;is&nbsp;convinced&nbsp;that&nbsp;he&nbsp;will&nbsp;be&nbsp;ready&nbsp;for&nbsp;the&nbsp;red-ball&nbsp;series. "With no games, it gave me the chance to focus on a few different things, so my body feels as good as it has in a couple of years," Cummins said.

"There's no niggles, I feel really fresh and I always love going into a series giving myself the best chance to turn up and, if I have to bowl 50 overs in a Test, I can."

Australia will play one three-day intra-squad match beginning December 1 ahead of the series opener.

Cummins will share the bowling responsibilities with fellow Australians Josh Hazlewood and Mitchell Starc, who both played in Australia's first T20 World Cup victory on November 14.&nbsp;

ALSO READ |&nbsp;<a href="https://www.wionews.com/sports/bcci-president-sourav-ganguly-appointed-as-the-chairman-of-iccs-cricket-committee-replaces-anil-kumble-429998">BCCI president Sourav Ganguly appointed as the chairman of ICC's Cricket Committee, replaces Anil Kumble</a>

"The benefit of the short spells is that we're really, really fresh. I always feel like it's better to be underdone than overdone coming into a big Test series," he said.

"We've got access to quite a few centre wickets. We'll have three, four, five centre wickets where we try and have relatively big days, bowl a couple of spells on those days, and then we'll be ready to go."

The first Test begins on December 8 at the Gabba in Brisbane, followed by the day-night Test on December 16 at Adelaide Oval.

Australia vice-captain Pat Cummins who has taken 164 wickets and made 708 runs in 34 Tests he has played so far, stated on Wednesday that if regular Test skipper Tim Paine isn't healthy for the start of the Ashes series, he will be ready to share the responsibility of captaincy.

Australia vice-captain Pat Cummins who has taken 164 wickets and made 708 runs in 34 Tests he has played so far, stated on Wednesday that if regular Test skipper Tim Paine isn't healthy for the start of the Ashes series, he will be ready to share the responsibility of captaincy. Australia have announced a 15-man team for the first two Ashes Tests, with skipper Tim Paine included despite having surgery to repair a bulging disc in his neck in September. "Hopefully Tim will be fine, he's nearing 100 per cent ... But I'll be ready if I have to, but I doubt that," said Cummins to Channel Nine. If he finds the task difficult, the pacer says he can always seek advice from senior players in the team, including former captain Steve Smith and David Warner. ALSO READ | Watch: Rohit Sharma and Rahul Dravid recall their interaction in 2007: 'I was over the moon' "If I was in the role and I found it tough, at times, there's ten other guys I'd lean on out in the middle. You've got people like Smithy and Davey Warner who are incredibly experienced, all the bowlers are experienced and look after themselves pretty well so I'd have no issues handballing it over to other people to help out." Since February, the 28-year-old has not played in a first-class match. He also missed Australia's limited-overs trips to the West Indies and Bangladesh, as well as the second leg of the IPL, before appearing in all of Australia's T20 World Cup games. The All-rounder, on the other hand, is convinced that he will be ready for the red-ball series. "With no games, it gave me the chance to focus on a few different things, so my body feels as good as it has in a couple of years," Cummins said. "There's no niggles, I feel really fresh and I always love going into a series giving myself the best chance to turn up and, if I have to bowl 50 overs in a Test, I can." Australia will play one three-day intra-squad match beginning December 1 ahead of the series opener. Cummins will share the bowling responsibilities with fellow Australians Josh Hazlewood and Mitchell Starc, who both played in Australia's first T20 World Cup victory on November 14. ALSO READ | BCCI president Sourav Ganguly appointed as the chairman of ICC's Cricket Committee, replaces Anil Kumble "The benefit of the short spells is that we're really, really fresh. I always feel like it's better to be underdone than overdone coming into a big Test series," he said. "We've got access to quite a few centre wickets. We'll have three, four, five centre wickets where we try and have relatively big days, bowl a couple of spells on those days, and then we'll be ready to go." The first Test begins on December 8 at the Gabba in Brisbane, followed by the day-night Test on December 16 at Adelaide Oval.

Ashes 2021: Pat Cummins says he will be 'ready' for potential captaincy amid captain Tim Paine's surgery

Australia brought an end to a long and agonising wait for their maiden T20 World Cup title as they got the better of trans-Tasman rivals New Zealand in the final on Sunday to lift the elusive trophy. Five-time ODI World Cup winners Australia were far from favourites at the start of the T20 World Cup 2021 in the UAE but they proved why they are one of the most dominant teams in world cricket with a memorable triumph in Dubai.

Following Australia's win, the players were seen going bonkers during the celebrations in the dressing room. The duo of Matthew Wade and Marcus Stoinis pulled off the 'shoey' celebration popularised by Australian Formula One star Daniel Ricciardo, who had poured champagne in his boots and drank from it after winning the German Grand Prix in 2016.&nbsp;

As the celebration went wild in the Australian dressing room post their World Cup triumph on Sunday, wicket-keeper batter Wade took off his shoe and poured beer in it before gulping it down as his teammates cheered on. Stoinis was the next to do the 'shoey' as the video of the celebration went viral on social media. While the video left many amused it didn't go down well with former Pakistan pacer Shoaib Akhtar.

Reacting to the video of Australian players drinking from a show, Akhtar took to Twitter and wrote - "A little disgusting way of celebrating no??"

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A little disgusting way of celebrating no?? <a href="https://t.co/H96vMlabC8">pic.twitter.com/H96vMlabC8</a>
— Shoaib Akhtar (@shoaib100mph) <a href="https://twitter.com/shoaib100mph/status/1460239211454423043?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">November 15, 2021</a></blockquote>
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Also Read:&nbsp;<a href="https://www.wionews.com/sports/had-i-reached-the-hospital-20-mins-late-both-my-windpipes-would-have-burst-mohmmad-rizwan-429711">Had I reached the hospital 20 mins late, both my windpipes would have burst: Mohmmad Rizwan</a>

Australia dominated the proceedings in the final on Sunday as they restricted the Kiwis to 172/4 after inviting them to bat first in the summit clash. Skipper Kane Williamson was the only stand out performer with the bat for New Zealand as he scored a brilliant 85 off 48 balls.

Australia had a comfortable run-chase as they rode on opener David Warner's 53 off 38 balls and Mitchell Marsh's unbeaten 77 off 50 deliveries to chase down the target of 173 runs with seven balls to spare and lift their maiden T20 World Cup trophy. Warner was awarded the Player of the Tournament award for his 289 runs in seven matches for Australia.

Australia brought an end to a long and agonising wait for their maiden T20 World Cup title as they got the better of trans-Tasman rivals New Zealand in the final on Sunday to lift the elusive trophy.

Australia brought an end to a long and agonising wait for their maiden T20 World Cup title as they got the better of trans-Tasman rivals New Zealand in the final on Sunday to lift the elusive trophy. Five-time ODI World Cup winners Australia were far from favourites at the start of the T20 World Cup 2021 in the UAE but they proved why they are one of the most dominant teams in world cricket with a memorable triumph in Dubai. Following Australia's win, the players were seen going bonkers during the celebrations in the dressing room. The duo of Matthew Wade and Marcus Stoinis pulled off the 'shoey' celebration popularised by Australian Formula One star Daniel Ricciardo, who had poured champagne in his boots and drank from it after winning the German Grand Prix in 2016. As the celebration went wild in the Australian dressing room post their World Cup triumph on Sunday, wicket-keeper batter Wade took off his shoe and poured beer in it before gulping it down as his teammates cheered on. Stoinis was the next to do the 'shoey' as the video of the celebration went viral on social media. While the video left many amused it didn't go down well with former Pakistan pacer Shoaib Akhtar. Reacting to the video of Australian players drinking from a show, Akhtar took to Twitter and wrote - "A little disgusting way of celebrating no??" A little disgusting way of celebrating no?? pic.twitter.com/H96vMlabC8 — Shoaib Akhtar (@shoaib100mph) November 15, 2021 × Also Read: Had I reached the hospital 20 mins late, both my windpipes would have burst: Mohmmad Rizwan Australia dominated the proceedings in the final on Sunday as they restricted the Kiwis to 172/4 after inviting them to bat first in the summit clash. Skipper Kane Williamson was the only stand out performer with the bat for New Zealand as he scored a brilliant 85 off 48 balls. Australia had a comfortable run-chase as they rode on opener David Warner's 53 off 38 balls and Mitchell Marsh's unbeaten 77 off 50 deliveries to chase down the target of 173 runs with seven balls to spare and lift their maiden T20 World Cup trophy. Warner was awarded the Player of the Tournament award for his 289 runs in seven matches for Australia.

'Little disgusting': Shoaib Akhtar on Australian players drinking from shoe to celebrate T20 World Cup win

Australia skipper Aaron Finch said the turning point of the ICC men's T20 Final was when he got out and all-rounder Mitchell Marsh came into bat against New Zealand. Mitchell Marsh's power-packed unbeaten 77 and a superb spell from Josh Hazlewood fired Australia to their first T20 World Cup title on Sunday. Finch said Marsh batted "outstandingly" which put the pressure back on New Zealand after they had scored a competitive total. "I think the turning point was when I got out, for Mitch Marsh to be able to come in and play the way that he did. He was outstanding," said Finch in the post-match press conference as per ICC.

ALSO READ |&nbsp;<a href="https://www.wionews.com/sports/player-of-the-tournament-david-warners-wife-candice-sends-message-to-doubters-after-australia-win-t20-wc-2021-429374">Player of The Tournament David Warner's wife Candice sends message to doubters after Australia win T20 WC 2021</a>

"That partnership with David was brilliant; the way that they put the pressure back on the opposition was exactly what was needed at the time," he added. Hazlewood`s three for 16 helped restrict New Zealand to 172 for 4 before all-rounder Marsh, bolstered by in-form David Warner, struck a match-winning half-century to inflict yet more misery on New Zealand in the summit clash. The Australian skipper said bowling in the powerplay with the new ball was an important aspect of the game. "I thought the way that we bowled with the new ball in that power play was obviously really important. That first ten overs to restrict New Zealand to, I think 57," said Finch. "But we knew that one down, it was always going to be tough because the dew started to come down quite heavy which we had not seen at all in the tournament so far," he added.

ALSO READ |&nbsp;<a href="https://www.wionews.com/sports/proud-australian-skipper-aaron-finch-lauds-team-after-t20-wc-win-we-knew-our-backs-were-against-the-wall-429368">'Proud' Australian skipper Aaron Finch lauds team after T20 WC win: 'We knew our backs were against the wall'</a>

Finch revealed that Marsh was disappointed when he was dropped from the squad. "Yeah, he bounced back beautifully. He was obviously disappointed; everyone is when they get dropped. I don`t know of anyone who is over the moon when they get dropped," said Finch. "Yeah, he was disappointed, but he knew it wasn`t a performance thing. It was only a structural change of the team; we went with a different makeup. That`s all that was. "But the way that he`s bounced back has been unbelievable," Finch signed off.

Australia skipper Aaron Finch said the turning point of the ICC men's T20 Final was when he got out and all-rounder Mitchell Marsh came into bat against New Zealand.

Australia skipper Aaron Finch said the turning point of the ICC men's T20 Final was when he got out and all-rounder Mitchell Marsh came into bat against New Zealand. Mitchell Marsh's power-packed unbeaten 77 and a superb spell from Josh Hazlewood fired Australia to their first T20 World Cup title on Sunday. Finch said Marsh batted "outstandingly" which put the pressure back on New Zealand after they had scored a competitive total. "I think the turning point was when I got out, for Mitch Marsh to be able to come in and play the way that he did. He was outstanding," said Finch in the post-match press conference as per ICC. ALSO READ | Player of The Tournament David Warner's wife Candice sends message to doubters after Australia win T20 WC 2021 "That partnership with David was brilliant; the way that they put the pressure back on the opposition was exactly what was needed at the time," he added. Hazlewood`s three for 16 helped restrict New Zealand to 172 for 4 before all-rounder Marsh, bolstered by in-form David Warner, struck a match-winning half-century to inflict yet more misery on New Zealand in the summit clash. The Australian skipper said bowling in the powerplay with the new ball was an important aspect of the game. "I thought the way that we bowled with the new ball in that power play was obviously really important. That first ten overs to restrict New Zealand to, I think 57," said Finch. "But we knew that one down, it was always going to be tough because the dew started to come down quite heavy which we had not seen at all in the tournament so far," he added. ALSO READ | 'Proud' Australian skipper Aaron Finch lauds team after T20 WC win: 'We knew our backs were against the wall' Finch revealed that Marsh was disappointed when he was dropped from the squad. "Yeah, he bounced back beautifully. He was obviously disappointed; everyone is when they get dropped. I don`t know of anyone who is over the moon when they get dropped," said Finch. "Yeah, he was disappointed, but he knew it wasn`t a performance thing. It was only a structural change of the team; we went with a different makeup. That`s all that was. "But the way that he`s bounced back has been unbelievable," Finch signed off.

Turning point was when I got out, says Aaron Finch after Australia clinch maiden T20 WC title

The Australian duo of Marcus Stoinis and Matthew Wade was seen drinking from a shoe as the team celebrated their maiden T20 World Cup triumph on Sunday. Australia defeated New Zealand by 8 wickets in the final to lift their maiden T20 World Cup trophy at the Dubai International Stadium in Dubai.

The Aussies celebrated wildly in the dressing room after a memorable campaign in the World Cup. Wicket-keeper batter Wade was seen removing his shoe during the celebrations in the&nbsp;dressing room&nbsp;and pouring down a drink in it before chugging it down as his teammates cheered him on in a video shared by the ICC on social media.

Stoinis joins him as he took gulps down a drink from Wade's shoe to celebrate Australia's win. The 'shoey' celebration was introduced to the world by Aussie&nbsp;Formula One star Daniel Ricciardo, who had celebrated his victory in the German Grand Prix in 2016 by drinking champagne from his shoe.

The likes of Lewis Hamilton have also pulled off similar celebrations in the past and on Sunday, it was Wade and Stoinis who continued the trend of drinking from a shoe post Australia's T20 World Cup win.&nbsp;

Watch video:

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How's your Monday going? <a href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/T20WorldCup?src=hash&amp;ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">#T20WorldCup</a> <a href="https://t.co/Fdaf0rxUiV">pic.twitter.com/Fdaf0rxUiV</a>
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It was a dominant performance from Australia in the final as they won the toss and chose to bowl first in Dubai. The Aussies did well to restrict New Zealand on 172/4 in 20 overs and chased down the target with seven balls to spare.

Also Read:&nbsp;<a href="https://www.wionews.com/sports/unfair-decision-shoaib-akhtar-reacts-to-david-warner-getting-player-of-the-tournament-award-in-t20-wc-429483">'Unfair decision': Akhtar reacts to Warner getting Player of the Tournament award in T20 WC</a>

David Warner continued his purple patch in the tournament with a sublime fifty as he notched up 53 off 38 balls while Micthell Marsh played a stunning knock of unbeaten 77 off 50 balls. The duo added 92 runs for the second wicket and set up a comfortable win for Australia.

The entire cricket fraternity came together to laud Australia after their victory over their trans-Tasmanian rivals as they claimed their first T20 World Cup title. Australia now have five ODI World Cup trophies and a T20 World Cup trophy in their illustrious cabinet.

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The Australian duo of Marcus Stoinis and Matthew Wade was seen drinking from a shoe as the team celebrated their maiden T20 World Cup triumph on Sunday. Australia defeated New Zealand by 8 wickets in the final to lift their maiden T20 World Cup trophy at the Dubai International Stadium in Dubai.

The Australian duo of Marcus Stoinis and Matthew Wade was seen drinking from a shoe as the team celebrated their maiden T20 World Cup triumph on Sunday. Australia defeated New Zealand by 8 wickets in the final to lift their maiden T20 World Cup trophy at the Dubai International Stadium in Dubai. The Aussies celebrated wildly in the dressing room after a memorable campaign in the World Cup. Wicket-keeper batter Wade was seen removing his shoe during the celebrations in the dressing room and pouring down a drink in it before chugging it down as his teammates cheered him on in a video shared by the ICC on social media. Stoinis joins him as he took gulps down a drink from Wade's shoe to celebrate Australia's win. The 'shoey' celebration was introduced to the world by Aussie Formula One star Daniel Ricciardo, who had celebrated his victory in the German Grand Prix in 2016 by drinking champagne from his shoe. The likes of Lewis Hamilton have also pulled off similar celebrations in the past and on Sunday, it was Wade and Stoinis who continued the trend of drinking from a shoe post Australia's T20 World Cup win. Watch video: How's your Monday going? #T20WorldCup pic.twitter.com/Fdaf0rxUiV — ICC (@ICC) November 15, 2021 × It was a dominant performance from Australia in the final as they won the toss and chose to bowl first in Dubai. The Aussies did well to restrict New Zealand on 172/4 in 20 overs and chased down the target with seven balls to spare. Also Read: 'Unfair decision': Akhtar reacts to Warner getting Player of the Tournament award in T20 WC David Warner continued his purple patch in the tournament with a sublime fifty as he notched up 53 off 38 balls while Micthell Marsh played a stunning knock of unbeaten 77 off 50 balls. The duo added 92 runs for the second wicket and set up a comfortable win for Australia. The entire cricket fraternity came together to laud Australia after their victory over their trans-Tasmanian rivals as they claimed their first T20 World Cup title. Australia now have five ODI World Cup trophies and a T20 World Cup trophy in their illustrious cabinet. ×

Matthew Wade, Marcus Stoinis drink from shoe as Aussies celebrate T20 World Cup triumph - WATCH

Australia thrashed New Zealand by eight wickets in the final to win the T20 World Cup 2021 title in Dubai on Sunday. Riding on an unbeaten 77 from Mitchell March and a fabulous half-century from David Warner, Aaron Finch &amp; Co. chased down the target of 173 runs with seven balls to spare to lift their maiden T20 World Cup title.

It was an intense summit clash between the two top sides of the tournament as the trans-Tasman rivals locked horns at the grandest stage of them all. Batting first, New Zealand rode on skipper Kane Willaimson's magnificent 48-ball 85 to post a fighting total of 172 runs on the board. However, Australia dominated the proceedings in their run-chase.

David Warner, who had a poor IPL 2021 campaign for Sunrises Hyderabad, proved form is temporary but class is permanent as he continued his purple patch in the final. Warner took the Kiwi bowlers to the cleaners and got Australia off to a good start despite losing his opening partner Finch cheaply on 5 off 7 balls.

Warner looked unstoppable as he slammed 4 fours and three sixes in his 53 off 38 balls and combined with Marsh (77) to add an 88-run stand for the third wicket. The duo slammed half-centuries apiece to set up a comfortable chase for Australia and powered them to their maiden T20 World Cup title.

Australia's star batter Steve Smith hailed his teammate Warner for his terrific show in the tournament and hailed him for responding back to his critics in style. Smith said a lot of people had written Warner off after his poor IPL but he came to the tournament with great intent and took the final away from New Zealand.

"Warner's last two weeks have been amazing. A lot of people were writing him off. He came in with exceptional intent and took the game away at the start," said Smith as he hailed Warner after Australia won the final.

Also Read:&nbsp;<a href="https://www.wionews.com/sports/australia-beat-new-zealand-to-win-maiden-t20-world-cup-title-429337">Australia beat New Zealand to win maiden T20 World Cup title</a>

Smith also praised the Australian team for putting in the hard yards ahead of the T20 World Cup. Australia had lost bilateral T20I series against the likes of West Indies and Bangladesh in the run-up to the World Cup but won four out of five matches in the Super 12 to make it to the semi-finals where they defeated Pakistan in a thriller before beating New Zealand in the final.

"It means a lot. We have worked hard for a long time and it is honour to be here with the boys and take the trophy home," said Smith.

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Australia thrashed New Zealand by eight wickets in the final to win the T20 World Cup 2021 title in Dubai on Sunday. Riding on an unbeaten 77 from Mitchell March and a fabulous half-century from David Warner, Aaron Finch & Co.

Australia thrashed New Zealand by eight wickets in the final to win the T20 World Cup 2021 title in Dubai on Sunday. Riding on an unbeaten 77 from Mitchell March and a fabulous half-century from David Warner, Aaron Finch & Co. chased down the target of 173 runs with seven balls to spare to lift their maiden T20 World Cup title. It was an intense summit clash between the two top sides of the tournament as the trans-Tasman rivals locked horns at the grandest stage of them all. Batting first, New Zealand rode on skipper Kane Willaimson's magnificent 48-ball 85 to post a fighting total of 172 runs on the board. However, Australia dominated the proceedings in their run-chase. David Warner, who had a poor IPL 2021 campaign for Sunrises Hyderabad, proved form is temporary but class is permanent as he continued his purple patch in the final. Warner took the Kiwi bowlers to the cleaners and got Australia off to a good start despite losing his opening partner Finch cheaply on 5 off 7 balls. Warner looked unstoppable as he slammed 4 fours and three sixes in his 53 off 38 balls and combined with Marsh (77) to add an 88-run stand for the third wicket. The duo slammed half-centuries apiece to set up a comfortable chase for Australia and powered them to their maiden T20 World Cup title. Australia's star batter Steve Smith hailed his teammate Warner for his terrific show in the tournament and hailed him for responding back to his critics in style. Smith said a lot of people had written Warner off after his poor IPL but he came to the tournament with great intent and took the final away from New Zealand. "Warner's last two weeks have been amazing. A lot of people were writing him off. He came in with exceptional intent and took the game away at the start," said Smith as he hailed Warner after Australia won the final. Also Read: Australia beat New Zealand to win maiden T20 World Cup title Smith also praised the Australian team for putting in the hard yards ahead of the T20 World Cup. Australia had lost bilateral T20I series against the likes of West Indies and Bangladesh in the run-up to the World Cup but won four out of five matches in the Super 12 to make it to the semi-finals where they defeated Pakistan in a thriller before beating New Zealand in the final. "It means a lot. We have worked hard for a long time and it is honour to be here with the boys and take the trophy home," said Smith. ×

Steve Smith hails David Warner after brilliant knock in T20 WC final: 'A lot of people were writing him off'

Australia defeated New Zealand by eight wickets in the final of the T20 World Cup 2021 on Sunday to lift their maiden title at the Dubai International Stadium in Dubai. It was a fairly one-sided final as Australia dominated the proceedings in the run chase after being asked to chase down the target of 173 runs and registered a comprehensive win by eight wickets.&nbsp;

Australian opener David Warner, who enjoyed a purple patch throughout the tournament, continued his stellar run in the summit clash as he slammed a match-winning 53 off 38 balls to get his team off to a flyer. He combined with Micthell Marsh, who scored an unbeaten 77 to add 92 runs for the second wicket and set up a comfortable victory for the Aussies.

Warner finished the tournament as Australia's highest run-getter and the second-highest run-getter overall with 289 runs to his name in seven matches as he was awarded the Player of the Tournament for his brilliant performances. However, former Pakistan pacer Shoaib Akhtar has questioned the decision to award the Player of the Tournament to Warner and claimed Babar Azam deserved to win the honour.

Akhtar took to Twitter to call ICC's decision unfair and said he was looking forward to Pakistan skipper Babar winning the award. "Was really looking forward to see @babarazam258 becoming Man of the Tournament. Unfair decision for sure," Akhtar wrote in a tweet.

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Was really looking forward to see <a href="https://twitter.com/babarazam258?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">@babarazam258</a> becoming Man of the Tournament. Unfair decision for sure.
— Shoaib Akhtar (@shoaib100mph) <a href="https://twitter.com/shoaib100mph/status/1459951425434402816?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">November 14, 2021</a></blockquote>
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While Warner finished the tournament as the second-highest run-getter overall, Babar was on top of the list with 303 runs from six matches. He was Pakistan's top run-getter and helped his team enter the semi-finals as the top-ranked side from Group 2 with five wins from five matches in the Super 12.

Also Read:&nbsp;<a href="https://www.wionews.com/sports/player-of-the-tournament-david-warners-wife-candice-sends-message-to-doubters-after-australia-win-t20-wc-2021-429374">Warner's wife Candice sends message to doubters after Australia win T20 WC 2021</a>

However, Baba failed to inspire Pakistan into the final as the Men in Green lost against Australia in the semi-final to bow out of the tournament. Australia went on to beat New Zealand in the all-important summit clash to become the new T20 world champions as they kept their unbeaten record against the Kiwis in ICC knockouts intact.

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Australia defeated New Zealand by eight wickets in the final of the T20 World Cup 2021 on Sunday to lift their maiden title at the Dubai International Stadium in Dubai.

Australia defeated New Zealand by eight wickets in the final of the T20 World Cup 2021 on Sunday to lift their maiden title at the Dubai International Stadium in Dubai. It was a fairly one-sided final as Australia dominated the proceedings in the run chase after being asked to chase down the target of 173 runs and registered a comprehensive win by eight wickets. Australian opener David Warner, who enjoyed a purple patch throughout the tournament, continued his stellar run in the summit clash as he slammed a match-winning 53 off 38 balls to get his team off to a flyer. He combined with Micthell Marsh, who scored an unbeaten 77 to add 92 runs for the second wicket and set up a comfortable victory for the Aussies. Warner finished the tournament as Australia's highest run-getter and the second-highest run-getter overall with 289 runs to his name in seven matches as he was awarded the Player of the Tournament for his brilliant performances. However, former Pakistan pacer Shoaib Akhtar has questioned the decision to award the Player of the Tournament to Warner and claimed Babar Azam deserved to win the honour. Akhtar took to Twitter to call ICC's decision unfair and said he was looking forward to Pakistan skipper Babar winning the award. "Was really looking forward to see @babarazam258 becoming Man of the Tournament. Unfair decision for sure," Akhtar wrote in a tweet. Was really looking forward to see @babarazam258 becoming Man of the Tournament. Unfair decision for sure. — Shoaib Akhtar (@shoaib100mph) November 14, 2021 × While Warner finished the tournament as the second-highest run-getter overall, Babar was on top of the list with 303 runs from six matches. He was Pakistan's top run-getter and helped his team enter the semi-finals as the top-ranked side from Group 2 with five wins from five matches in the Super 12. Also Read: Warner's wife Candice sends message to doubters after Australia win T20 WC 2021 However, Baba failed to inspire Pakistan into the final as the Men in Green lost against Australia in the semi-final to bow out of the tournament. Australia went on to beat New Zealand in the all-important summit clash to become the new T20 world champions as they kept their unbeaten record against the Kiwis in ICC knockouts intact. ×

'Unfair decision': Shoaib Akhtar reacts to David Warner getting Player of the Tournament award in T20 WC

Australia's star spinner Adam Zampa has taken a dig at former England captain Michael Vaughan after Aaron Finch &amp; Co. won the T20 World Cup 2021 title on Sunday (November 14). Australia defeated New Zealand by eight wickets in the final to lift their maiden T20 World Cup trophy and proved their critics wrong yet again. One of the most successful teams in the history of cricket, Australia had been written off by many ahead of the start of the tournament.

Finch &amp; Co. had lost their last five bilateral T20I series in a row in the run-up to the T20 World Cup in the UAE but stepped up when it mattered the most as they went on to clinch the title after a dominant performance in the final. Former England captain Vaughan was one of the experts who had predicted Australia won't last long in the tournament.

"I’ll say it now, I don’t give Australia much chance. In T20 cricket they’ve struggled. Glenn Maxwell’s exceptional so he will have to have an incredible tournament. But I don’t see the Aussies doing too much. England, India, West Indies, New Zealand, one of those four and maybe Pakistan because of the conditions,” Vaughan had said on BBC Test Match Special on October 19.

His prediction went horribly wrong as the Aussies dominated the proceedings in the tournament and were crowned champions. Zampa took to Instagram to share a picture of the Australian players celebrating their World Cup win and trolled Vaughan by using his quote as the caption of his post.&nbsp;

Check out Adam Zampa's post:

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Batting first in the final, Kane Williamson's 85 off 48 balls helped New Zealand post a fighting total of 172 runs on the board. However, Australia had a comfortable outing in the run-chase as they rode on David Warner's 53 and Mitchell Marsh's unbeaten 77 to chase down the target with seven balls to spare and win by 8 wickets.

Warner was awarded the Player of the Tournament for his 289 runs in seven matches for the champions. Zampa was the stand out performer with the ball as he finished as the leading wicket-taker for his side with 13 wickets from seven matches and bowled at an excellent average of 12.08. He was the second-highest wicket-taker of the tournament overall.

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Australia's star spinner Adam Zampa has taken a dig at former England captain Michael Vaughan after Aaron Finch & Co. won the T20 World Cup 2021 title on Sunday (November 14).

Australia's star spinner Adam Zampa has taken a dig at former England captain Michael Vaughan after Aaron Finch & Co. won the T20 World Cup 2021 title on Sunday (November 14). Australia defeated New Zealand by eight wickets in the final to lift their maiden T20 World Cup trophy and proved their critics wrong yet again. One of the most successful teams in the history of cricket, Australia had been written off by many ahead of the start of the tournament. Finch & Co. had lost their last five bilateral T20I series in a row in the run-up to the T20 World Cup in the UAE but stepped up when it mattered the most as they went on to clinch the title after a dominant performance in the final. Former England captain Vaughan was one of the experts who had predicted Australia won't last long in the tournament. "I’ll say it now, I don’t give Australia much chance. In T20 cricket they’ve struggled. Glenn Maxwell’s exceptional so he will have to have an incredible tournament. But I don’t see the Aussies doing too much. England, India, West Indies, New Zealand, one of those four and maybe Pakistan because of the conditions,” Vaughan had said on BBC Test Match Special on October 19. His prediction went horribly wrong as the Aussies dominated the proceedings in the tournament and were crowned champions. Zampa took to Instagram to share a picture of the Australian players celebrating their World Cup win and trolled Vaughan by using his quote as the caption of his post. Check out Adam Zampa's post: View this post on Instagram A post shared by adam zampa (@zampstagram) × Also Read: Wade, Stoinis drink from shoe as Aussies celebrate T20 World Cup triumph - WATCH Batting first in the final, Kane Williamson's 85 off 48 balls helped New Zealand post a fighting total of 172 runs on the board. However, Australia had a comfortable outing in the run-chase as they rode on David Warner's 53 and Mitchell Marsh's unbeaten 77 to chase down the target with seven balls to spare and win by 8 wickets. Warner was awarded the Player of the Tournament for his 289 runs in seven matches for the champions. Zampa was the stand out performer with the ball as he finished as the leading wicket-taker for his side with 13 wickets from seven matches and bowled at an excellent average of 12.08. He was the second-highest wicket-taker of the tournament overall. ×

Aussie star trolls Michael Vaughan over his 'I don’t give Australia much chance' remark after T20 WC triumph

Aaron Finch-led Australia won the T20 World Cup 2021 edition, which was held in the UAE. The 2021 edition was supposed to be held in late 2020 but got postponed due to the Covid-19 pandemic worldwide. Hence, the seventh edition took place in the UAE -- for the first time -- after India refrained from hosting the event on their home soil due to the virus scare.

While not many believed Australia were one of the favourites to win the coveted title, having lost their last five bilateral series, the Men in Yellow defied all odds to emerge on top by winning the tournament-finale by eight wickets on Sunday evening (November 14). Aussies locked horns with Kane Williamson-led New Zealand in the summit clash and produced an all-round effort to not give their Trans-Tasmanian rivals any chance whatsoever.&nbsp;

ALSO READ |&nbsp;<a href="https://www.wionews.com/sports/exclusive-will-australia-regain-dominance-in-world-cricket-after-t20-wc-triumph-john-buchanan-opines-429442">EXCLUSIVE: Will Australia regain dominance in world cricket after T20 WC triumph? John Buchanan opines</a>

The tournament was held for the first time in 2007, when not many backed the format to exist for long in the international level, and has now become one of the most successful events in world cricket. Thus,&nbsp;here's a look at all the winners so far in the T20 WC history after the end of the latest edition:

<table border="1" cellpadding="1" cellspacing="1" style="width: 500px;">
	<tbody>
		<tr>
			<td>Year</td>
			<td>Winners</td>
			<td>Final</td>
		</tr>
		<tr>
			<td>2007</td>
			<td>India</td>
			<td>Beat Pak by 5 runs</td>
		</tr>
		<tr>
			<td>2009</td>
			<td>Pakistan</td>
			<td>Beat Sri Lanka by 8 wickets</td>
		</tr>
		<tr>
			<td>2010</td>
			<td>England</td>
			<td>Beat Aussies by 7 wickets</td>
		</tr>
		<tr>
			<td>2012</td>
			<td>West Indies</td>
			<td>Beat SL by 36 runs</td>
		</tr>
		<tr>
			<td>2014</td>
			<td>Sri Lanka</td>
			<td>Beat India by 6 wickets</td>
		</tr>
		<tr>
			<td>2016</td>
			<td>West Indies</td>
			<td>Beat England by 4 wickets</td>
		</tr>
		<tr>
			<td>2021</td>
			<td>Australia</td>
			<td>Beat NZ by 8 wickets</td>
		</tr>
	</tbody>
</table>

ALSO READ |&nbsp;<a href="https://www.wionews.com/sports/player-of-the-tournament-david-warners-wife-candice-sends-message-to-doubters-after-australia-win-t20-wc-2021-429374">Player of The Tournament David Warner's wife Candice sends message to doubters after Australia win T20 WC 2021</a>

Talking about the 2021 edition's summit clash, played at the Dubai International Cricket Stadium, Dubai, Finch-led Australia won the toss and opted to bowl first. Aussies restricted New Zealand to 172-4, as the Black Caps rode on Kane Williamson's master-class 85. In reply, the Kiwis fell like nine pins as David Warner's 53 and Mitchell marsh's 77 not out propelled Australia to their maiden T20 WC title, eighth ICC title overall.&nbsp;

At the post-match presentation, Finch said, "This is huge. To be the first Australian team to be able to do it. So proud. We knew our backs were against the wall. We had some great individual performances, some great team performances. Can't believe people wrote him off saying he was done (Warner). That's when he plays his best cricket. Was almost like poking the bear. The player of the tournament for me (Zampa). Mitch Marsh - what a way to start his innings today. Wade coming into this game with an injury cloud but got a job done. Stoinis did the business."

For the unversed, the next edition of the T20 WC will be held in late 2022, in Australia.

Aaron Finch-led Australia won the T20 World Cup 2021 edition, which was held in the UAE. The 2021 edition was supposed to be held in late 2020 but got postponed due to the Covid-19 pandemic worldwide.

Aaron Finch-led Australia won the T20 World Cup 2021 edition, which was held in the UAE. The 2021 edition was supposed to be held in late 2020 but got postponed due to the Covid-19 pandemic worldwide. Hence, the seventh edition took place in the UAE -- for the first time -- after India refrained from hosting the event on their home soil due to the virus scare. While not many believed Australia were one of the favourites to win the coveted title, having lost their last five bilateral series, the Men in Yellow defied all odds to emerge on top by winning the tournament-finale by eight wickets on Sunday evening (November 14). Aussies locked horns with Kane Williamson-led New Zealand in the summit clash and produced an all-round effort to not give their Trans-Tasmanian rivals any chance whatsoever. ALSO READ | EXCLUSIVE: Will Australia regain dominance in world cricket after T20 WC triumph? John Buchanan opines The tournament was held for the first time in 2007, when not many backed the format to exist for long in the international level, and has now become one of the most successful events in world cricket. Thus, here's a look at all the winners so far in the T20 WC history after the end of the latest edition: Year Winners Final 2007 India Beat Pak by 5 runs 2009 Pakistan Beat Sri Lanka by 8 wickets 2010 England Beat Aussies by 7 wickets 2012 West Indies Beat SL by 36 runs 2014 Sri Lanka Beat India by 6 wickets 2016 West Indies Beat England by 4 wickets 2021 Australia Beat NZ by 8 wickets ALSO READ | Player of The Tournament David Warner's wife Candice sends message to doubters after Australia win T20 WC 2021 Talking about the 2021 edition's summit clash, played at the Dubai International Cricket Stadium, Dubai, Finch-led Australia won the toss and opted to bowl first. Aussies restricted New Zealand to 172-4, as the Black Caps rode on Kane Williamson's master-class 85. In reply, the Kiwis fell like nine pins as David Warner's 53 and Mitchell marsh's 77 not out propelled Australia to their maiden T20 WC title, eighth ICC title overall. At the post-match presentation, Finch said, "This is huge. To be the first Australian team to be able to do it. So proud. We knew our backs were against the wall. We had some great individual performances, some great team performances. Can't believe people wrote him off saying he was done (Warner). That's when he plays his best cricket. Was almost like poking the bear. The player of the tournament for me (Zampa). Mitch Marsh - what a way to start his innings today. Wade coming into this game with an injury cloud but got a job done. Stoinis did the business." For the unversed, the next edition of the T20 WC will be held in late 2022, in Australia.

From India to Australia: A look at T20 WC winners post seventh edition in UAE

Former India captain Sunil Gavaskar has picked his favourites to win the T20 World Cup 2021 title ahead of the summit clash between Australia and New Zealand. Kane Williamson's men will be up against Aaron Finch &amp; Co. in the summit clash at the Dubai International Stadium in Dubai on Sunday (November 14). While New Zealand entered the final with a win over favourites England, Australia ended Pakistan's unbeaten streak in the second semi-final.

The trans-Tasmanian rivals are all set to add a new chapter to their rivalry on Sunday. Both Australia and New Zealand have not won the T20 World Cup yet and will be battling it out for their maiden title. Ahead of the final, Gavaskar has backed the Aussies to come out on top and lift their maiden T20 World Cup trophy by outclassing the Kiwis.

Gavaskar believes Australians have the pedigree of playing in big finals having dominated world cricket in the past with a hat-trick of ODI World Cup titles in 1999, 2003 and 2007. The batting legend believes Australia's brilliant record in knockout rounds of ICC tournaments will give them the confidence to upstage the Kiwis on Sunday.

"When you have won more often than you have lost, you just enter the field feeling that come what may, you will be able to turn it around. The Australians, I think they are on a roll, they have got the momentum," Gavaskar said on Sports Today.

"In the knockouts, it's not against New Zealand but against most teams that they have an unbelievable record. They will fancy their chances of claiming this ICC T20 cup for the first time," he&nbsp;added.

Also Read:&nbsp;<a href="https://www.wionews.com/sports/yuvraj-singh-shares-hilarious-meme-featuring-virat-anushka-highlighting-team-indias-middle-order-woes-429060">Yuvraj shares hilarious meme featuring Virat, Anushka highlighting Team India's middle-order woes</a>

New Zealand have been handed a huge blow ahead of the final as middle-order batter Devon Conway has been ruled out of the final due to a broken hand. He had suffered the injury after punching his bat in frustration post his dismissal in the semi-final game against England.

Australia, on the other hand, have all their players fit for selection and will hope for a dominant show from the batsmen. The likes of David Warner, Mitchell Marsh and Marcus Stoinis have been in fine form for the Aussies and possess the ability to take the game away from the opposition with their batting exploits.

 
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Former India captain Sunil Gavaskar has picked his favourites to win the T20 World Cup 2021 title ahead of the summit clash between Australia and New Zealand. Kane Williamson's men will be up against Aaron Finch & Co.

Former India captain Sunil Gavaskar has picked his favourites to win the T20 World Cup 2021 title ahead of the summit clash between Australia and New Zealand. Kane Williamson's men will be up against Aaron Finch & Co. in the summit clash at the Dubai International Stadium in Dubai on Sunday (November 14). While New Zealand entered the final with a win over favourites England, Australia ended Pakistan's unbeaten streak in the second semi-final. The trans-Tasmanian rivals are all set to add a new chapter to their rivalry on Sunday. Both Australia and New Zealand have not won the T20 World Cup yet and will be battling it out for their maiden title. Ahead of the final, Gavaskar has backed the Aussies to come out on top and lift their maiden T20 World Cup trophy by outclassing the Kiwis. Gavaskar believes Australians have the pedigree of playing in big finals having dominated world cricket in the past with a hat-trick of ODI World Cup titles in 1999, 2003 and 2007. The batting legend believes Australia's brilliant record in knockout rounds of ICC tournaments will give them the confidence to upstage the Kiwis on Sunday. "When you have won more often than you have lost, you just enter the field feeling that come what may, you will be able to turn it around. The Australians, I think they are on a roll, they have got the momentum," Gavaskar said on Sports Today. "In the knockouts, it's not against New Zealand but against most teams that they have an unbelievable record. They will fancy their chances of claiming this ICC T20 cup for the first time," he added. Also Read: Yuvraj shares hilarious meme featuring Virat, Anushka highlighting Team India's middle-order woes New Zealand have been handed a huge blow ahead of the final as middle-order batter Devon Conway has been ruled out of the final due to a broken hand. He had suffered the injury after punching his bat in frustration post his dismissal in the semi-final game against England. Australia, on the other hand, have all their players fit for selection and will hope for a dominant show from the batsmen. The likes of David Warner, Mitchell Marsh and Marcus Stoinis have been in fine form for the Aussies and possess the ability to take the game away from the opposition with their batting exploits.

Sunil Gavaskar picks favourites to win T20 WC 2021 final: They have an unbelievable record in knockouts

New Zealand will take on Australia in the much-anticipated final of the T20 World Cup 2021 on Sunday (November 14). The all-important clash will be played at the Dubai International Stadium in Dubai. New Zealand were the first team to qualify for the final after defeating England in the first semi-final while Australia got the better of Pakistan to make it to the summit clash.

Ahead of the final, New Zealand head coach Gary Stead has said the Kiwis are wary of the threat the Aussies can possess in the final. Both the teams have never won a T20 World Cup and will be fighting for their maiden title on Sunday.&nbsp;

New Zealand, who were considered underdogs at the start of the tournament, have once again shown why they are one of the most consistent teams in ICC events as they have reached yet another final. They had lost against Australia in the 2015 ODI World Cup final before going down against England in the 2019 ODI World Cup final and will be hoping to lift their maiden title on Sunday.

"I think it's really exciting for this team to be in this situation again. We've played some wonderful cricket in the last four-five years and I guess people measure that success at World Cups. So, for us, to be in another final is really, really satisfying and rewarding for the team," New Zealand head coach Stead was quoted as saying by ESPN Cricinfo.

While Stead lauded his team's efforts, he is aware of the quality in Australia's ranks. The New Zealand head coach said their plans need to be perfect to counter the Aussies as they have got a number of match-winners in their line-up who can change the game on it's head at any point.

Also Read:&nbsp;<a href="https://www.wionews.com/sports/exclusive-new-zealand-favourites-against-australia-in-t20-world-cup-final-428948">Virat Kohli should leave Team India's captaincy in all formats: Shahid Afridi makes bold statement</a>

"Australia have got a bunch of guys who are real match-winners as well and we've got to make sure our planning and scouting is right on point for all their players because they can rip a game open pretty quickly as well," said Stead.

Australia and New Zealand had both qualified as the second-best teams from their respective groups and have managed to knock out the favourites to set up an exciting final in the T20 World Cup 2021. A new champion will be crowned on Sunday when the two teams battle it out for the elusive trophy.

New Zealand will take on Australia in the much-anticipated final of the T20 World Cup 2021 on Sunday (November 14). The all-important clash will be played at the Dubai International Stadium in Dubai.

New Zealand will take on Australia in the much-anticipated final of the T20 World Cup 2021 on Sunday (November 14). The all-important clash will be played at the Dubai International Stadium in Dubai. New Zealand were the first team to qualify for the final after defeating England in the first semi-final while Australia got the better of Pakistan to make it to the summit clash. Ahead of the final, New Zealand head coach Gary Stead has said the Kiwis are wary of the threat the Aussies can possess in the final. Both the teams have never won a T20 World Cup and will be fighting for their maiden title on Sunday. New Zealand, who were considered underdogs at the start of the tournament, have once again shown why they are one of the most consistent teams in ICC events as they have reached yet another final. They had lost against Australia in the 2015 ODI World Cup final before going down against England in the 2019 ODI World Cup final and will be hoping to lift their maiden title on Sunday. "I think it's really exciting for this team to be in this situation again. We've played some wonderful cricket in the last four-five years and I guess people measure that success at World Cups. So, for us, to be in another final is really, really satisfying and rewarding for the team," New Zealand head coach Stead was quoted as saying by ESPN Cricinfo. While Stead lauded his team's efforts, he is aware of the quality in Australia's ranks. The New Zealand head coach said their plans need to be perfect to counter the Aussies as they have got a number of match-winners in their line-up who can change the game on it's head at any point. Also Read: Virat Kohli should leave Team India's captaincy in all formats: Shahid Afridi makes bold statement "Australia have got a bunch of guys who are real match-winners as well and we've got to make sure our planning and scouting is right on point for all their players because they can rip a game open pretty quickly as well," said Stead. Australia and New Zealand had both qualified as the second-best teams from their respective groups and have managed to knock out the favourites to set up an exciting final in the T20 World Cup 2021. A new champion will be crowned on Sunday when the two teams battle it out for the elusive trophy.

Australia have players who can rip a game open quickly: NZ head coach ahead of T20 WC final

New Zealand were my dark horses ahead of the start of the T20 World Cup 2021 and they are a team that loves to play to that tag. But if we look at the recent results that New Zealand have been able to produce in big tournaments, they rank above Australia heading into the big final in Dubai on Sunday.

If you ask both the Australian and the Kiwi camps, they are both going to claim they are the underdogs in the summit clash but New Zealand, for me, will start as favourites against Aaron Finch &amp; Co. I didn't think Australia were good enough to get into the semi-finals but they managed to get there and now they are in the final. But I believe New Zealand should be rated as favourites simply because of the way they have been playing in the tournament.

If we look at the fast bowlers from either side collectively, New Zealand fast bowlers - Trent Boult, Tim Southee and Adam Milne have taken 25 wickets in the tournament. Interestingly, they have an economy rate of 6.5, on the other hand, the Australian trio of Mitchell Starc, Josh Hazlewood and Pat Cummins has 23 wickets to their name combined. But they have been far more expensive and are going at 8.3 an over which is a big difference between the bowling attacks of the two teams.

The New Zealand trio has bowled almost 50 per cent of their overs at an economy of 5 or under while the Australian fast bowlers have bowled only 33 per cent of their overs under 5. Wickets are reasonably similar for both pace attacks, but Australians have been giving away a lot of runs.

Talking about the spinners, Australia have taken 15 wickets with mainly Adam Zampa contributing. They have bowled at an economy rate of 6.2 and 60 per cent of their overs have been 5 or under. Zampa has taken 12 of those 15 wickets and he has conceded five or fewer runs in 70 per cent of his overs.&nbsp;

For New Zealand, Ish Sodhi and Mitchell Santner have eleven wickets so far. Comparing the bowling attacks of the two finalists, while the ability to take wickets is similar in both teams, New Zealand have been far more disciplined than Australia.

But, New Zealand have been handed a huge blow ahead of the all-important final in the form of Devon Conway, who is out with a self-inflicted injury. Conway, who has broken his right hand, is a huge loss for New Zealand.

As a batter, your role is not just to score runs but also to formulate partnerships. 33 per cent of New Zealand's runs have been scored with Conway in the middle so he is not only scoring runs but was&nbsp;also helping them put on partnerships. He is a huge loss for the Black Caps, who will miss his presence in the middle-order.

There is a stark difference when the batting line-ups of the two teams are compared as New Zealand have had contributions from almost all of their star batters while Steve Smith and Glenn Maxwell are yet to fire for the Aussies.&nbsp;

Australia have the likes of David Warner (236), Aaron Finch (130) and Mitchell Marsh (108) among the runs but the disappointments for Australia have been Steve Smith and Glenn Maxwell. Smith, who was being seen as the main anchor, has only scored 69 runs, while&nbsp;Maxwell, who has been&nbsp;the go-to man for Australia to take the game away from the opposition, has not fired at all.

In comparison, New Zealand have Daryl Mitchell (197), Martin Guptill (180) and Kane Williamson (131). I think New Zealand have the edge in terms of batting but what Australia have done is that they have always found a way to win matches, as they did in the semi-final against Pakistan. That's what Australia have been doing throughout the tournament and that's what they need to do in the final.

Not a batter but Australia's key player in the final will be Adam Zampa, who has been outstanding so far in the T20 World Cup this year. He has been Australia's highest wicket-taker so far with 12 scalps in six games and has an excellent economy rate of 5.7. Zampa has bowled nearly 70 per cent of his overs conceding 5 or fewer runs and he is not only responsible for dampening the scoring rate of opposition teams but also picking up wickets regularly.

The tournament is all set to have a new winner&nbsp;this time as both teams are yet to clinch their maiden T20 World Cup title. While the players will be looking to give their all on the pitch in the final, the toss remains a decisive factor in Dubai. 12 out of the last 13 matches in this year's T20 World Cup in Dubai have been won by the team's chasing.

The teams believe in bowling first in Dubai as&nbsp;there is a lot more on offer for the bowlers. It will be interesting to see how big a role will the toss play in deciding the fate of this T20 World Cup. 
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New Zealand were my dark horses ahead of the start of the T20 World Cup 2021 and they are a team that loves to play to that tag. But if we look at the recent results that New Zealand have been able to produce in big tournaments, they rank above Australia heading into the big final in Dubai on Sunday.

New Zealand were my dark horses ahead of the start of the T20 World Cup 2021 and they are a team that loves to play to that tag. But if we look at the recent results that New Zealand have been able to produce in big tournaments, they rank above Australia heading into the big final in Dubai on Sunday. If you ask both the Australian and the Kiwi camps, they are both going to claim they are the underdogs in the summit clash but New Zealand, for me, will start as favourites against Aaron Finch & Co. I didn't think Australia were good enough to get into the semi-finals but they managed to get there and now they are in the final. But I believe New Zealand should be rated as favourites simply because of the way they have been playing in the tournament. If we look at the fast bowlers from either side collectively, New Zealand fast bowlers - Trent Boult, Tim Southee and Adam Milne have taken 25 wickets in the tournament. Interestingly, they have an economy rate of 6.5, on the other hand, the Australian trio of Mitchell Starc, Josh Hazlewood and Pat Cummins has 23 wickets to their name combined. But they have been far more expensive and are going at 8.3 an over which is a big difference between the bowling attacks of the two teams. The New Zealand trio has bowled almost 50 per cent of their overs at an economy of 5 or under while the Australian fast bowlers have bowled only 33 per cent of their overs under 5. Wickets are reasonably similar for both pace attacks, but Australians have been giving away a lot of runs. Talking about the spinners, Australia have taken 15 wickets with mainly Adam Zampa contributing. They have bowled at an economy rate of 6.2 and 60 per cent of their overs have been 5 or under. Zampa has taken 12 of those 15 wickets and he has conceded five or fewer runs in 70 per cent of his overs. For New Zealand, Ish Sodhi and Mitchell Santner have eleven wickets so far. Comparing the bowling attacks of the two finalists, while the ability to take wickets is similar in both teams, New Zealand have been far more disciplined than Australia. But, New Zealand have been handed a huge blow ahead of the all-important final in the form of Devon Conway, who is out with a self-inflicted injury. Conway, who has broken his right hand, is a huge loss for New Zealand. As a batter, your role is not just to score runs but also to formulate partnerships. 33 per cent of New Zealand's runs have been scored with Conway in the middle so he is not only scoring runs but was also helping them put on partnerships. He is a huge loss for the Black Caps, who will miss his presence in the middle-order. There is a stark difference when the batting line-ups of the two teams are compared as New Zealand have had contributions from almost all of their star batters while Steve Smith and Glenn Maxwell are yet to fire for the Aussies. Australia have the likes of David Warner (236), Aaron Finch (130) and Mitchell Marsh (108) among the runs but the disappointments for Australia have been Steve Smith and Glenn Maxwell. Smith, who was being seen as the main anchor, has only scored 69 runs, while Maxwell, who has been the go-to man for Australia to take the game away from the opposition, has not fired at all. In comparison, New Zealand have Daryl Mitchell (197), Martin Guptill (180) and Kane Williamson (131). I think New Zealand have the edge in terms of batting but what Australia have done is that they have always found a way to win matches, as they did in the semi-final against Pakistan. That's what Australia have been doing throughout the tournament and that's what they need to do in the final. Not a batter but Australia's key player in the final will be Adam Zampa, who has been outstanding so far in the T20 World Cup this year. He has been Australia's highest wicket-taker so far with 12 scalps in six games and has an excellent economy rate of 5.7. Zampa has bowled nearly 70 per cent of his overs conceding 5 or fewer runs and he is not only responsible for dampening the scoring rate of opposition teams but also picking up wickets regularly. The tournament is all set to have a new winner this time as both teams are yet to clinch their maiden T20 World Cup title. While the players will be looking to give their all on the pitch in the final, the toss remains a decisive factor in Dubai. 12 out of the last 13 matches in this year's T20 World Cup in Dubai have been won by the team's chasing. The teams believe in bowling first in Dubai as there is a lot more on offer for the bowlers. It will be interesting to see how big a role will the toss play in deciding the fate of this T20 World Cup.

Exclusive! New Zealand favourites against Australia in T20 World Cup final

Australia will be touring Pakistan for the first time in 24 years when they travel to the country in March next year for a full-fledged tour consisting of a three-match Test series, a three-match ODI series and a one-off T20I game. Australia had last travelled to Pakistan in 1998 and their tour next year is all set to be a historic one from Pakistan's perspective.

Australian all-rounder Glenn Maxwell, however, said he was unsure of travelling to Pakistan with the rest of his teammates for the tour next year. Maxwell is a vital cog in the Australian limited-overs setup and is currently in action for the Aaron Finch-led side at the ongoing T20 World Cup 2021.

Maxwell revealed he is not sure whether he will be travelling to Pakistan when asked by the reporters about the announcement of the tour during a press conference ahead of Australia's semi-final clash against Pakistan in the T20 World Cup 2021. Maxwell said the decision will depend on his fiancee as his wedding is scheduled to happen around the same time.

"I think it's great that we've got a tour to go back there. I think I saw it was 1998 the last time we went there. Whether I'm going there or not might probably hinge on my fiancee because my wedding is supposed to be on during that time. So I'm probably not quite the right person to ask that question," Maxwell told reporters.

Maxwell has been dating pharmacist Vini Raman for several years now and the couple was all set to tie the knot before their wedding got delayed due to the COVID-19 pandemic last year. They had gotten engaged in March 2020 and are yet to tie the knot.

When asked if there is a possibility his wedding can be rescheduled for him to make it to the Pakistan tour, Maxwell said there was no chance of the wedding to be delayed again as it has already been rescheduled a couple of times.

"Not a chance. We've already moved it a couple of times so I think this is it," said the Aussie all-rounder.

Also Read:&nbsp;<a href="https://www.wionews.com/sports/some-players-might-not-be-comfortable-going-captain-tim-paine-on-australias-tour-of-pakistan-428013">Some players might not be comfortable going: Captain Tim Paine on Australia's tour of Pakistan</a>

Earlier, Australian Test skipper Tim Paine had admitted while speaking to SEN Radio that some Australian players might pull out of the tour as they might not be comfortable travelling to Pakistan. Australia will tour Pakistan in March next year for three Tests, three ODIs and one T20I game.

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Australia will be touring Pakistan for the first time in 24 years when they travel to the country in March next year for a full-fledged tour consisting of a three-match Test series, a three-match ODI series and a one-off T20I game.

Australia will be touring Pakistan for the first time in 24 years when they travel to the country in March next year for a full-fledged tour consisting of a three-match Test series, a three-match ODI series and a one-off T20I game. Australia had last travelled to Pakistan in 1998 and their tour next year is all set to be a historic one from Pakistan's perspective. Australian all-rounder Glenn Maxwell, however, said he was unsure of travelling to Pakistan with the rest of his teammates for the tour next year. Maxwell is a vital cog in the Australian limited-overs setup and is currently in action for the Aaron Finch-led side at the ongoing T20 World Cup 2021. Maxwell revealed he is not sure whether he will be travelling to Pakistan when asked by the reporters about the announcement of the tour during a press conference ahead of Australia's semi-final clash against Pakistan in the T20 World Cup 2021. Maxwell said the decision will depend on his fiancee as his wedding is scheduled to happen around the same time. "I think it's great that we've got a tour to go back there. I think I saw it was 1998 the last time we went there. Whether I'm going there or not might probably hinge on my fiancee because my wedding is supposed to be on during that time. So I'm probably not quite the right person to ask that question," Maxwell told reporters. Maxwell has been dating pharmacist Vini Raman for several years now and the couple was all set to tie the knot before their wedding got delayed due to the COVID-19 pandemic last year. They had gotten engaged in March 2020 and are yet to tie the knot. When asked if there is a possibility his wedding can be rescheduled for him to make it to the Pakistan tour, Maxwell said there was no chance of the wedding to be delayed again as it has already been rescheduled a couple of times. "Not a chance. We've already moved it a couple of times so I think this is it," said the Aussie all-rounder. Also Read: Some players might not be comfortable going: Captain Tim Paine on Australia's tour of Pakistan Earlier, Australian Test skipper Tim Paine had admitted while speaking to SEN Radio that some Australian players might pull out of the tour as they might not be comfortable travelling to Pakistan. Australia will tour Pakistan in March next year for three Tests, three ODIs and one T20I game.

Glenn Maxwell not certain of travelling to Pakistan for Australia's tour next year, reveals why

Australia are all set to tour Pakistan for the first time in over 24 years after the Pakistan Cricket Board (PCB) on Monday (PCB) announced the schedule of the full-fledged tour involving the two teams. Australia will tour Pakitan for a three-match Test series, as many ODIs and a one-off T20I match in March next year.&nbsp;

While PCB has confirmed the schedule, the tour remains subject to a security clearance by Cricket Australia. It has been reported that a delegation of Cricket Australia will visit Pakistan ahead of the commencement of the tour and will inspect the security situation before giving the final approval for the tour.

Australia's Test captain Tim Paine has made a glaring admission ahead of the historic tour of the Aussie team as he insisted some players might not be comfortable travelling to Pakistan. In the past, several players have expressed their reservations about travelling to Pakistan, which had been boycotted by several international teams after a terrorist attack on the bus of the Sri Lankan team in Lahore in 2009.

Though international cricket has resumed in Pakistan, some players and teams still have reservations about travelling to the country. Paine admitted some of the Australian players might not give their nod for the tour despite being assured of the security situation there.

“There’ll be some guys who will be happy to take the experts’ advice, and others will want to know a bit more. If we’re totally honest, there might be some people who aren’t comfortable going regardless. That’s happened before with tours going to other countries going back forever,” Paine told SEN Radio.

“Again, there are issues that will, I’m sure pop-up. We’ll discuss it; people get the right answers and feel comfortable, then we’ll get hopefully the best team we can. At the end of the day, it comes down to the individual,” he added.

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Recently, New Zealand had called&nbsp;off their tour of Pakistan after receiving a security threat while the players were in Rawalpindi. The tour was called off hours ahead of the start of the first ODI between Pakistan and New Zealand in Rawalpindi as the Kiwis flew back home without playing.

England too called off their tour of Pakistan following New Zealand's decision. Recalling his experience of playing in Pakistan for the World XI team in an exhibition match in 2017, Paine said the security arrangements were 'unlike anything he had seen before'.

“The security that we had on that tour was unlike anything that I’ve ever seen in my life. We had helicopters overhead, roads shut down five kilometres around us, checkpoints like every kilometre into the ground, it was extraordinary," Paine said.

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“The fact you’re seeing it and thinking to yourself it may be necessary can be a bit unnerving, but at the same time to see the planning and execution of it, with literally a couple of choppers above your bus 20-30 metres above your head was comforting but also unnerving at the same time," he added.

If the tour goes ahead successfully, It will be Australia's first tour in Pakistan in 24 years. The Aussies last travelled to the country for a cricket tour in 1998.

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Australia are all set to tour Pakistan for the first time in over 24 years after the Pakistan Cricket Board (PCB) on Monday (PCB) announced the schedule of the full-fledged tour involving the two teams.

Australia are all set to tour Pakistan for the first time in over 24 years after the Pakistan Cricket Board (PCB) on Monday (PCB) announced the schedule of the full-fledged tour involving the two teams. Australia will tour Pakitan for a three-match Test series, as many ODIs and a one-off T20I match in March next year. While PCB has confirmed the schedule, the tour remains subject to a security clearance by Cricket Australia. It has been reported that a delegation of Cricket Australia will visit Pakistan ahead of the commencement of the tour and will inspect the security situation before giving the final approval for the tour. Australia's Test captain Tim Paine has made a glaring admission ahead of the historic tour of the Aussie team as he insisted some players might not be comfortable travelling to Pakistan. In the past, several players have expressed their reservations about travelling to Pakistan, which had been boycotted by several international teams after a terrorist attack on the bus of the Sri Lankan team in Lahore in 2009. Though international cricket has resumed in Pakistan, some players and teams still have reservations about travelling to the country. Paine admitted some of the Australian players might not give their nod for the tour despite being assured of the security situation there. “There’ll be some guys who will be happy to take the experts’ advice, and others will want to know a bit more. If we’re totally honest, there might be some people who aren’t comfortable going regardless. That’s happened before with tours going to other countries going back forever,” Paine told SEN Radio. “Again, there are issues that will, I’m sure pop-up. We’ll discuss it; people get the right answers and feel comfortable, then we’ll get hopefully the best team we can. At the end of the day, it comes down to the individual,” he added. Also Read: Rohit to lead India in New Zealand T20I series; Bumrah, Shami likely to be rested Recently, New Zealand had called off their tour of Pakistan after receiving a security threat while the players were in Rawalpindi. The tour was called off hours ahead of the start of the first ODI between Pakistan and New Zealand in Rawalpindi as the Kiwis flew back home without playing. England too called off their tour of Pakistan following New Zealand's decision. Recalling his experience of playing in Pakistan for the World XI team in an exhibition match in 2017, Paine said the security arrangements were 'unlike anything he had seen before'. “The security that we had on that tour was unlike anything that I’ve ever seen in my life. We had helicopters overhead, roads shut down five kilometres around us, checkpoints like every kilometre into the ground, it was extraordinary," Paine said. Also Read: I don't care who you are, even if you put Don Bradman in a bubble his average will drop: Ravi Shastri “The fact you’re seeing it and thinking to yourself it may be necessary can be a bit unnerving, but at the same time to see the planning and execution of it, with literally a couple of choppers above your bus 20-30 metres above your head was comforting but also unnerving at the same time," he added. If the tour goes ahead successfully, It will be Australia's first tour in Pakistan in 24 years. The Aussies last travelled to the country for a cricket tour in 1998.

Some players might not be comfortable going: Captain Tim Paine on Australia's tour of Pakistan

The T20 World Cup 2021 edition is set to welcome the semi-finals stage. After match 40 ended in the Super 12 round, on Sunday evening (November 7), the cricketing fraternity got to know about the four teams who will now engage in the semi-finals as some of the big guns in West Indies and India have failed to reach the knockouts.

After Saturday's doubleheader (November 6), Pakistan (who were the first side to make it to the semis) were joined by Australia and England in the semi-finals whereas Kane Williamson-led New Zealand became the fourth and final side to enter the last four. Hence, England (who topped Pool A) will lock horns with Pool B's second-best team, i.e. New Zealand in the first semi-final whereas Australia (Pool A's second-ranked side) will face Babar Azam-led Pakistan (Pool B toppers) in the second semi-final. The two semi-finals are scheduled to take place on November 10 and 11, at Abu Dhabi and Dubai, respectively.

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Ahead of the T20 WC semi-finals, former South Africa captain Faf du Plessis predicted who will win the coveted title in the UAE. Speaking at the virtual press conference for the upcoming fifth season of the Abu Dhabi T10 League, he told while responding to www.wionnews.com's query, "I hope New Zealand win it. They have come so close and suffered heartbreaks likes South Africa in ICC tournaments like the 2019 OD World Cup final. If not them then it will have to Pakistan."

ALSO READ |&nbsp;<a href="https://www.wionews.com/sports/t20-wc-semi-finals-schedule-england-face-new-zealand-australia-to-lock-horns-with-pakistan-427709">T20 WC, semi-finals schedule: England face New Zealand, Australia to lock horns with Pakistan</a>

Among the four semi-finalists, Babar-led Pakistan will enter the knockouts being the only unbeaten team so far in the tournament. They also have a 16-match winning streak in T20Is in UAE. England, on the other hand, will aim for their second T20 WC title after missing out in the previous edition (they will also look to be crowned as the limited-overs champions post the 2019 ODI WC). Meanwhile, Australia and New Zealand will aim to win their maiden T20 WC trophy.

The T20 World Cup 2021 edition is set to welcome the semi-finals stage. After match 40 ended in the Super 12 round, on Sunday evening (November 7), the cricketing fraternity got to know about the four teams who will now engage in the semi-finals as some of the big guns in West Indies and India have failed to reach the knockouts.

The T20 World Cup 2021 edition is set to welcome the semi-finals stage. After match 40 ended in the Super 12 round, on Sunday evening (November 7), the cricketing fraternity got to know about the four teams who will now engage in the semi-finals as some of the big guns in West Indies and India have failed to reach the knockouts. After Saturday's doubleheader (November 6), Pakistan (who were the first side to make it to the semis) were joined by Australia and England in the semi-finals whereas Kane Williamson-led New Zealand became the fourth and final side to enter the last four. Hence, England (who topped Pool A) will lock horns with Pool B's second-best team, i.e. New Zealand in the first semi-final whereas Australia (Pool A's second-ranked side) will face Babar Azam-led Pakistan (Pool B toppers) in the second semi-final. The two semi-finals are scheduled to take place on November 10 and 11, at Abu Dhabi and Dubai, respectively. ALSO READ | Australia to tour Pakistan for first time in 24 years for limited-overs series in early 2022 Ahead of the T20 WC semi-finals, former South Africa captain Faf du Plessis predicted who will win the coveted title in the UAE. Speaking at the virtual press conference for the upcoming fifth season of the Abu Dhabi T10 League, he told while responding to www.wionnews.com's query, "I hope New Zealand win it. They have come so close and suffered heartbreaks likes South Africa in ICC tournaments like the 2019 OD World Cup final. If not them then it will have to Pakistan." ALSO READ | T20 WC, semi-finals schedule: England face New Zealand, Australia to lock horns with Pakistan Among the four semi-finalists, Babar-led Pakistan will enter the knockouts being the only unbeaten team so far in the tournament. They also have a 16-match winning streak in T20Is in UAE. England, on the other hand, will aim for their second T20 WC title after missing out in the previous edition (they will also look to be crowned as the limited-overs champions post the 2019 ODI WC). Meanwhile, Australia and New Zealand will aim to win their maiden T20 WC trophy.

ENG, NZ, Pak or AUS? Faf du Plessis predicts winner of T20 World Cup

Australia were once a dominant force in world cricket. They had completed a hat-trick of ODI World Cup titles in 2007 after winning the trophy in consecutive editions in 1999, 2003 and 2007. They have also been one of the best Test teams in the world for a number of years, however, Australia have failed to replicate that success in T20Is.

Australia are yet to win their maiden T20 World Cup title despite having come close on a few occasions. In the ongoing T20 World Cup 2021, the Aussies have reached the semi-finals after their win over West Indies on Saturday. David Warner's unbeaten 89 helped Australia thrash the defending champions by eight wickets and seal a spot in the semis.

Langer believes the current Australia team has got it in them to become the best team in the world once again. While admitting that England have been leading the ways for the last few years now, Langer said the Aussies have great prospects and are ready to dominate world cricket once again.

"Not that long ago we were the best team in the world and some of that cricket shows we can be the best team in the world," Langer told reporters.

"I think England are leading the way at the moment and we've got exciting prospects. We're taking great lessons from this tournament on how we can continue to play T20 cricket now, for this tournament, and moving forward," he added.

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Austrakia had their fate in their own hands ahead of the game against West Indies on Saturday as they knew a win would confirm their spot in the semis. The Aussies produced a clinical performance with the bat and the ball to register a comprehensive win and progress to the knockout round where they will up against Pakistan in the semi-final.

"It was brilliant again last night, I think our last few games have been outstanding cricket," said Langer.

"The boys have really stepped up. It was quite a sobering experience against England. We knew we had to do some work and the way the boys responded to that has been brilliant, so it's nice to be in the semi-final," he added. 
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Australia were once a dominant force in world cricket. They had completed a hat-trick of ODI World Cup titles in 2007 after winning the trophy in consecutive editions in 1999, 2003 and 2007.

Australia were once a dominant force in world cricket. They had completed a hat-trick of ODI World Cup titles in 2007 after winning the trophy in consecutive editions in 1999, 2003 and 2007. They have also been one of the best Test teams in the world for a number of years, however, Australia have failed to replicate that success in T20Is. Australia are yet to win their maiden T20 World Cup title despite having come close on a few occasions. In the ongoing T20 World Cup 2021, the Aussies have reached the semi-finals after their win over West Indies on Saturday. David Warner's unbeaten 89 helped Australia thrash the defending champions by eight wickets and seal a spot in the semis. Langer believes the current Australia team has got it in them to become the best team in the world once again. While admitting that England have been leading the ways for the last few years now, Langer said the Aussies have great prospects and are ready to dominate world cricket once again. "Not that long ago we were the best team in the world and some of that cricket shows we can be the best team in the world," Langer told reporters. "I think England are leading the way at the moment and we've got exciting prospects. We're taking great lessons from this tournament on how we can continue to play T20 cricket now, for this tournament, and moving forward," he added. Also Read: No Virat Kohli in Harbhajan Singh's star-studded all-time T20 XI, MS Dhoni named captain Austrakia had their fate in their own hands ahead of the game against West Indies on Saturday as they knew a win would confirm their spot in the semis. The Aussies produced a clinical performance with the bat and the ball to register a comprehensive win and progress to the knockout round where they will up against Pakistan in the semi-final. "It was brilliant again last night, I think our last few games have been outstanding cricket," said Langer. "The boys have really stepped up. It was quite a sobering experience against England. We knew we had to do some work and the way the boys responded to that has been brilliant, so it's nice to be in the semi-final," he added.

England are leading the way but Australia can be best team in the world, says coach Justin Langer