Cricket legend Brad Hogg is setting the stage for a blockbuster final between India and Australia in the ongoing T20 World Cup 2024. Both teams have already secured their spots in the Super 8s stage, with Australia becoming the second team after South Africa and India following suit with their third consecutive win.
Their paths are set to collide on Monday, June 24th at the Daren Sammy National Cricket Stadium in St Lucia. They’ll be placed in Super 8s Group 1 alongside Afghanistan and either Bangladesh or Nepal. Looking ahead, Hogg predicts both teams will dominate the group, qualify for the semis, and ultimately face off in the final.
“In the Super 8s, Australia and India have got Bangladesh [yet to qualify] and Afghanistan, and you expect both teams to beat them and move through to the semi-finals,” Brad Hogg said on Star Sports. “Hopefully, that does happen. It sets it up for the possibility of Australia and India in a grand final, which I’d absolutely love to happen.”
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However, Brad Hogg leans towards Australia for the initial Super 8s clash. He believes their experience playing in the West Indies conditions will give them an edge.
“The advantage would have to be to Australia because they’ve been playing in the West Indies where it’s been difficult, it’s been slow,” Brad Hogg explained. “Whereas the Indian team has been playing in New York where there’s been some seam movement, the batters haven’t been able to get their rhythm.”
He added, “So the adjustment is huge down there, that short turnaround, I think it’s going to be tough for India in the Super Eights. But it will be a different story when they get to the final, the contest will be a lot more even there because India would’ve been used to the conditions.”
This potential final would be a rematch of the 2023 World Test Championship and ODI World Cup finals, both of which Australia won convincingly. India will be eager to avenge those defeats if they meet again in the big clash.
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Both teams have one more group stage match to play before the Super 8s begin. India faces Canada on Saturday, June 15th, while Australia takes on Scotland on June 16th. The cricketing world waits with bated breath to see if Hogg’s prediction of an India-Australia final comes true.
