Success comes from freedom

As Australia gear up to defend the World Cup title, allrounder Glenn Maxwell believes that the team needs to play with freedom to clinch the coveted trophy.

The 28-year-old said that during their successful 2015 World Cup campaign, a lot of players took big risks but they did it with so much conviction that not even at one point did the team feel that something could go wrong.

"The way we went about one-day cricket in 2015, it was just solid the whole way through. There were big risks, but they didn't feel like risks when they were happening. Aaron Finch charging opening bowlers and hitting them over the top for four, and you thought, 'that's not a risk for Aaron Finch. David Warner hitting over cover-point for four, that's not a risk. Steve Smith hitting the ball from outside off through forward square leg, that's not a risk. That's just how the players were playing," Cricket.com.au quoted Maxwell, as saying.

"Shane Watson muscling blokes wherever he wanted to, and myself doing my thing, the way the whole team set itself up, guys just played their way and played with freedom, and I think if we're going to win this World Cup then we need to be able to play with freedom, and hopefully the bowlers can back us up the way they did in 2015," he added.