Aussies put major focus on T20 title

PAT Cummins expects to play almost as many Twenty20 internationals in the next year as he has in his whole career, as Australia takes aim at winning a maiden T20 World Cup.

The Aussies will shift their attention to the 20-over game this month with series against Pakistan and Sri Lanka, starting year-long preparations.

Today marks 12 months to the tournament’s opening game in Australia, and coincides with the last round of qualifying beginning in the UAE and tickets going on sale.

Australia has 21 T20s scheduled between now and next October, with series against New Zealand, England, South Africa, India and West Indies to come. That will be crucial for the likes of Cummins, who has played just two T20 internationals in the past two-anda-half years.

“Hopefully I will play in most of the games and be in the running for the World Cup in 12 months’ time,” Cummins said.

“If it’s a one-off T20 game sometimes I find it tough (to adapt). But when there is a real block of T20 cricket like in this series coming up with six games, I find it a bit easier because you can really put your focus into it.

“For me it’s probably more like death bowling and variations that you don’t bowl that much in Test cricket, or oneday cricket you don’t have that too much.”

Cummins isn’t alone in facing that challenge, with the majority of his T20 cricket previously being played in the Indian Premier League.

Of the nine bowlers and allrounders picked in Australia’s squad to face Sri Lanka and Pakistan, only Glenn Maxwell has played more than 30 T20s.

But that’s set to change, with coach Justin Langer putting a heavier emphasis on next year’s World Cup than any previous T20 event.

While the Aussie women have won it four times, the closest the men have come is a loss in the 2010 final.

“If you look at all the trophies won, this is the biggest we haven’t in men’s cricket,” Cummins said.