Australian opener Chris Lynn is targeting the 2019 ICC Cricket World Cup, which is just around nine months to go, and that’s why he is cutting short the ongoing 2018 Caribbean Premier League (CPL 2018).
While the Trinbago Knight Riders’ opener Lynn is struggling in the ongoing CPL 2018, he is focusing upcoming Australia’s domestic 50-over competition – the 2018/19 JLT One-day cup – as his return process in the Australian ODI squad. The tournament has been scheduled to be played from 16 September to 10 October 2018.
Lynn has claimed that the national team head coach Justin Langer wants him to be fit before the World Cup that makes his availability for the selection in the Australian team for the big tournament.
Lynn told cricket.com.au, “Langer has expressed that the World Cup is there, but whether or not there’s a spot for me is up to me. Langer said to keep the body right, and don’t give anyone any reason to say no to you. So the chance is there but I’ve got to bang the door down with runs. It’s as simple as that. If I get a World Cup spot then I’ll have deserved it, and it will be awesome to be a part of. But cricket’s a numbers game – you only have to look at the numbers to pick a side sometimes. I’ll know myself whether I deserve to be there or not.”
Lynn has played only ODI for Australian cricket team in January 2017 while he has played 10 T20Is also. The injury-prone cricketer was in a great form with the bat during the IPL 2018. After returning from the shoulder injury, the Kolkata Knight Riders opener was in the great form in IPL 2018 as he was the second most runs scorer for his team in that season (491 runs in 16 innings with the average of 32.73).
Despite having a hard life in the CPL 2018, Lynn is the optimist for the JLT One-day cup where he will lead the Queensland Bulls side.
Lynn said, “We had a different line-up this year at Kolkata, so I played what was best for the team. I haven’t played a great deal of one-day cricket but I felt like the way I played in the IPL was very similar to how I would pace myself across 50 overs. It wasn’t exactly batting with all the bells and whistles, or just hitting boundaries – I had to grind out a lot of runs and play a lot smarter cricket.
“I feel like my game awareness is getting stronger and stronger. Being a leader in teams now is important to me – I want to lead from the front with the bat, and hopefully, I can do that in Queensland colours.
