'Picked an aggressive side yet played so defensively, that's very un-Australian' - Michael Clarke on Australia's 2022 T20 World Cup performance

After triumphing at the grandest stage last year, Australia were deemed favourites to defend the title in the T20 World Cup 2022. However, they received a massive setback in their opening fixture itself, as they lost by 89 runs against New Zealand and failed to gather themselves.

2015 Australia World Cup winning captain, Michael Clarke was taken aback with the squad’s defensive approach despite having an aggressive side in home conditions. The former skipper expressed his displeasure on the side’s dismal outings.

“I think Australians in general, on the biggest stage under the most amount of pressure, always put in on the line and have a crack. We’re not scared to lose. Yet we picked an aggressive 11 in this World Cup squad yet played so defensively. Very un-Australian,” said a frustrated Clarke on the radio show ‘Big Sports Breakfast’.

They missed a trick against Ireland and Afghanistan: Michael Clarke

As the net run rate played a crucial role at one stage in the Super 12, Australia were to win the Afghanistan fixture with a massive difference. However, the side struggled and appeared sluggish in their title defence against the Mohammad Nabi-led side. Clarke further slammed the batch of 2022 as he believed the side missed a ‘trick’.

“The frustrating thing for me is – I think they missed a trick against Ireland and then against Afghanistan, I don’t know what I was watching. They had to walk out there against Afghanistan and say, ‘we are going to make 200 and bowl you out for 100’ but they just didn’t have that aggressiveness, they didn’t have that fire in the belly, even in the field they looked a bit sluggish in the field,” said Clarke.

With Aaron Finch and Co. having to make an exit from the showpiece event, there has been much speculation surrounding the captaincy as many are not particularly happy with the squad under Finch. It remains to be seen what transpires in the Australian camp and the decisions they take moving forward.