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Flexible Aussie batsmen put egos aside

Usman Khawaja has no issue fitting into Australia's batting order based on individual game situation

Usman Khawaja is at peace with being a moving part in Australia's ever-fluctuating batting order, insisting his teammates have put egos aside and bought into their World Cup strategy.

The tactics may be difficult to grasp for traditionalists comfortable with set batting positions, but the results are difficult to argue, given Australia have lost only once in their first six games of the tournament.

'Matchups' has become a buzz word of T20 cricket and the lingo has seeped into international 50-over vocabulary as teams search for previously-unthought of advantages.

Australia have made Khawaja and Steve Smith interchangeable at three and four in a bid to deny opposition bowlers the luxury of having two batters facing up the same way at the crease together.

Ponting glad to see Khawaja find form

Explosive pair Glenn Maxwell and Marcus Stoinis meanwhile are also ready to be pushed up the order if quick runs are required.

That scenario played out against Bangladesh, meaning Smith was shunted all the way down to No.6, while Khawaja also found himself in the same position against Pakistan earlier in the tournament.

"It's all above board, everyone is communicating, everyone is talking and no one - myself, Smithy, Maxi - no-one really has any issue batting anywhere," said Khawaja.

Image Id: AE7EE99B89C647E0A5F33FCFF832D679 Image Caption: A clear understanding between Australia's batsmen allowing for a flexible batting order // Getty

"Where the game situation is for us, down there wherever we are, is what we will play. Whether that is against India where we needed 10 an over, or a first innings like this (against Bangladesh) where we are setting a total, we are just playing a game situation.

"What the team needs (comes first). We are all really happy with that."

For Khawaja specifically, Australia's method, along with the return of opener David Warner pushing him out of his preferred opening position, has forced him to adapt.

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"Whether I am coming in in the 15th over, 30th over, 45th over, whether we are chasing, whether we are setting (a total) the way I am going to play is dictated by the game," he explained.

"That is the difference between batting in the middle order and when you are opening. Because when you are opening, you are there in the first 10 overs, the game plan is pretty simple - you try and get as many runs as you can in the power play and you go from there.

"There is that little bit of difference."

The Aussies made a call to stick with the 32-year-old at three despite it leaving them with two lefties in him and Warner at the crease when Aaron Finch was dismissed in the 21st over against Bangladesh.

Khawaja repaid the faith as he made his first meaningful contribution of the tournament, using inventiveness and timing to score 89 off only 72 balls to finish with a better strike-rate than even Warner, who blasted 166 off 147 deliveries.

Image Id: D118EDEF80CF4325BB3D7F4154458237 Image Caption: Khawaja and David Warner combined for a 192-run partnership against Bangladesh // Getty

"I have felt good throughout the whole of this tournament," Khawaja explained.

"I wasn't panicking. … I was just going to do whatever the team needed and try to put any personal feeling I had aside.

"That is the way I play my best cricket and that is what I focus on."

2019 World Cup

Australia's squad: Aaron Finch (c), Jason Behrendorff, Alex Carey (wk), Nathan Coulter-Nile, Pat Cummins, Usman Khawaja, Nathan Lyon, Shaun Marsh, Glenn Maxwell, Kane Richardson, Steve Smith, Mitchell Starc, Marcus Stoinis, David Warner, Adam Zampa

June 1: Australia beat Afghanistan by seven wickets

June 6: Australia beat West Indies by 15 runs

June 9: Australia lost to India by 36 runs

June 12: Australia beat Pakistan by 41 runs

June 15: Australia beat Sri Lanka by 87 runs

June 20: Australia beat Bangladesh by 48 runs

June 25: England v Australia, Lord's

June 29: New Zealand v Australia, Lord's (D/N)

July 6: Australia v South Africa, Old Trafford (D/N)

July 9: Semi-Final 1, Old Trafford

July 11: Semi-Final 2, Edgbaston

July 14: Final, Lord's

Sync Australia's World Cup schedule to your calendar HERE

For a full list of all World Cup fixtures, click HERE