Cairns, Aug 14 Veteran all-rounder Glenn Maxwell said he is fine-tuning his bowling in the powerplay, with an aim to take up new ball bowling duties for Australia at next year’s T20 World Cup, set to be held in India and Sri Lanka.
Maxwell, 36, has bowled two overs inside the powerplay in both T20Is against South Africa in Darwin and even dismissed skipper Aiden Markram in Tuesday’s game. Maxwell is no stranger to bowling in powerplay, especially after famously removing Rohit Sharma in the 2023 ODI World Cup final in Ahmedabad.
"I think in the subcontinent you might be able to get a little bit more out of it as a spinner early on. Especially that new ball, the hard seam, being able to grip on those dry surfaces. So it might be something we think about heading forward.
"I'm just as surprised as anyone when I get a wicket. I love getting wickets. It's very surprising anytime I get anyone out. I'm there to do a job in the powerplay and I'm trying to execute that as well as I can," Maxwell told reporters in Cairns on Thursday.
Maxwell’s adaptability has also been on show with the bat. After opening in the T20I series in the West Indies, Maxwell came in at number seven in the series opener against South Africa before moving to number five in the second match.
"I've been a bit of the shuffler around the order, up and down. I'm filling holes at the moment. Even during the West Indies series, trying to combat Akeal Hosein (by) going up the top, this series going a little bit lower, trying to manage that back end (of the innings).
"(I'm) trying to play whatever role is needed for me in this side and just try and be as adaptable as possible," he added.
The deciding match of the T20I series, currently locked at 1-1, will be played in Cairns on Saturday. It will also mark the first-ever men’s T20I to be played at Cazaly’s Stadium, where a sell-out crowd of 10,000 is expected to come.
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