New Delhi:
Josh Hazlewood played a vital role in Australia’s World Cup triumph in 2015. His 4/35 in the quarterfinal in Adelaide against Pakistan was vital in the team’s progression to the last four. In overall ODIs, he has a record of 72 wickets at 25.15. When the Australian squad was selected for the 2019 ICC Cricket World Cup, Hazlewood was left out. Hope arose for Hazlewood when Jhye Richardson dislocated his shoulder in the series against Pakistan in the UAE. However, Australia picked Kane Richardson for the tournament and Hazlewood has admitted that he is not watching the World Cup as it still pains him on his omission.
Speaking to Cricket Australia’s official website, Hazlewood said, “I will sit down at night and watch a couple of overs but I'm trying to steer clear of it a little bit. The more you watch something, the more you probably miss it. So I'm just trying to pretend it's not on, to a degree,” Hazlewood said.
Hazlewood was overlooked after being out of action since January with a back injury, as selectors preferred him to focus on getting ready for the Ashes Test series in England, which begins in August. Hazlewood is currently in camp at Brisbane with the Australia A squads -- along with the likes of Peter Handscomb, Travis Head and Marcus Harris -- ahead of their departure for England on Friday for a seven-week tour.
"I know I can do a great job when I'm physically pretty fresh and that's how I'm going to enter this Ashes, so I'm looking forward to it. I've done as much as I can in the nets. It takes that time out in the middle now to get that extra couple of per cent up to one hundred,” the 27-year-old remarked.
Hazlewood is set to make his return in the one-day format for Australia A from June 20, before three red-ball fixtures starting on July 7. Those matches culminate in an 'Australia v Australia A' four-day fixture in Hampshire, which will serve as a final selection trial for the Ashes squad. Immediately after the World Cup, Australia will play England in five Ashes Tests which will be the first series in the new ICC Test Championships.
