Australia became the second team to qualify for the ‘Super 8s’ stage of the 2024 T20 World Cup with a dominant nine-wicket victory over Namibia.

It’s Australia’s third win in as many games, and the current Test and ODI champions are asserting their pre-tournament status as one of the favourites to secure their second T20 World Cup.

Yes, two of Australia’s wins have come at the expense of Oman and Namibia, two opponents that they were expected to convincingly defeat.

However, the differing way Australia won their three matches showcased the immense quality and versatility of this squad.

Their performance against Oman required David Warner and Marcus Stoinis to bat conservatively, placing a high price on their wicket before pressing the accelerator down in the final six overs of the match which saw Australia go from three for 80 to five for 164.

Warner played an exceptional anchoring role, scoring 56 from 51 balls, whilst Stoinis took on the role of the aggressor, finishing with 67 from 36 deliveries.

Against England, the Aussies channelled their inner IPL 2024 and exploded out of the blocks, scoring 70 from the first five overs as Warner and Travis Head set the tone early.

The platform the opening pair created allowed Mitchell Marsh and Glenn Maxwell to ease into their innings without having to worry about scoring at a quick rate.

In turn, Australia was able to increase their run-rate over the course of the last eight overs, scoring 83 runs to post a total of 201.

Australia repeated this effort in their recent victory against Namibia, where in chase of 73 runs, Warner, Head and Marsh set about finishing the game before you could make yourself a bowl of two-minute noodles.

The trio took 34 balls to chase Namibia’s total with 15 of those travelling to or beyond the boundary rope.

Of course, it was a game Australia were expected to win, but to do so in such fashion is a statement that this group isn’t here to muck around.

This squad has shown an ability to successfully bat in different ways which will no doubt put them in good stead ahead of the ‘Super 8s’ stage where the quality of opposition will increase.

To wax lyrical exclusively about the batting group would be highly unfair to a bowling group that has excelled so far in this tournament.

Leg-spinner Adam Zampa has the third most wickets in the competition with eight at an incredible average and economy rate of 8.0 and 5.3 respectively.

The 32-year-old is one of five Australian bowlers with an economy rate below six, highlighting this group’s ability to constrict the opposition.

Where they have been able to do this best is from the 12th over to the end of the 16th. Against Oman they took three for 35, against England, two for 31, and against Namibia, two for 37.

Combining the three games, that’s seven wickets for 103 runs at 6.9 runs per over.

In comparison, when batting in that same period, Australia lost just one wicket for 103 runs, scoring 10.3 runs per over. It’s the period of the game when they are completely outplaying their opponents.

Harking back to Zampa, this is where he excels. Australia turns to the ‘leggie’ after the powerplay, and he plays a vital role in restricting the opposition’s scoring and is usually able to take a crucial wicket or two, Jos Buttler and Phil Salt, thanks for coming.

We’ve seen Zampa do this successfully for a long time, but he’s seemingly climbed to a new level.

Zampa is well supported in this period by Australia’s quicks, especially Pat Cummins who generally bowls the ‘tough’ overs in T20 cricket, allowing Josh Hazelwood and Mitchell Starc to take the new ball at the top of the innings.

Nathan Ellis has excelled as expected (albeit against Oman and Namibia) and is an excellent fourth-pace option in this squad.

Most surprisingly, Stoinis has played more than a bit part with the ball.

The all-rounder opened the bowling against Namibia, taking two for nine from his three overs and playing his more accustomed role of bowling in the middle/death against Oman and England, taking three for 19 from three and none for 24 from three respectively.

All in all, Australia is off to a barnstorming start to the competition and potentially may hold England’s fate in their hands when they take on Scotland in their last game of the group stage.

It’s still early in the tournament and T20 cricket is a highly volatile format, but Australia is looking like a mighty chance to complete the first triple crown in cricket.