T20 World Cup 2024: Hazlewood Queries Tournament Format, Net Run Rate Policy

North Sound, Jun 11: Australian pacer Josh Hazlewood has voiced his confusion over the T20 World Cup format, particularly the decision not to carry over net run-rate (NRR) from the group stage into the Super 8 stage. Despite Australia's strong performance in the group stage, their NRR will not influence the next phase.

The International Cricket Council (ICC) has structured this year's T20 World Cup with 20 teams divided into four groups of five. The top two from each group advance to the Super 8 stage. In this phase, two groups of four determine the semifinalists, a change from the previous edition where teams competed directly in the Super 12 stage.

Australia advanced to the Super 8 stage on Tuesday after a dominant nine-wicket win over Namibia, improving their NRR to +3.580. Hazlewood, discussing this post-match, stated, "It's a bit strange that the NRR doesn't carry forward. This is probably the first T20 World Cup I've played that's set up this way, so it's a little different."

He elaborated, "The work you do in the initial round games, even if you remain undefeated and have a good NRR, doesn't account for much in the Super Eights. It's a strange format, but that's how it is."

Adam Zampa was instrumental in Tuesday's victory, securing four wickets and bringing his tournament tally to eight. When asked if Zampa is underrated, Hazlewood was quick to highlight his teammate's value.

"Within the team, we certainly recognise his importance. We've seen his performance consistently in both one-day and T20 cricket, especially in big tournaments and crucial matches," Hazlewood said.

Zampa, who has played the most T20 matches for Australia as a bowler, recently achieved 100 T20 wickets. Hazlewood added, "He's ticking a lot of boxes and continues to improve. He's always working on something, whether it's his length or other aspects. He's a key part of our team."

The T20 World Cup continues to evolve, and players like Hazlewood and Zampa are adapting to its changing dynamics, striving to lead Australia to victory.