Ian Healy has called on Australia’s selectors to ‘get real’ as the cricket great launched a brutal takedown of Mitchell Marsh’s T20 side, claiming that their leaders had ‘duped’ supporters like England’s Bazballers had done during this summer’s Ashes series.
It came as Australia found themselves on the brink of a shock early World Cup exit, after they suffered an eight-wicket defeat by Sri Lanka in Pallekele on Monday.
While captain Mitchell Marsh (54) and Travis Head (56) both brought up half-centuries to set the hosts a run chase of 182, Sri Lanka opener Pathum Nissanka swept away a brilliant century off just 52 deliveries to secure his side’s automatic qualification for the knockout stages.
The 2021 champions, who have now lost five of the six T20I matches they have played in 2026, now need a miracle to advance to the Super Eights.
Their World Cup exit will be confirmed if Zimbabwe claim victory in one of their remaining two matches against Ireland (Tuesday) or Sri Lanka (Thursday), with the Aussies having won just one of their group-stage matches.
But questions are being asked over their leadership group, with Healy unable to understand why star batters like Steve Smith and Matt Renshaw were left out of Monday’s clash as Australia’s top-order batters, Cameron Green (3) and Tim David (6), underwhelmed once again.
He added that Australia’s selectors had picked a squad that revolved around a power-based attack, rather than skill.
‘Let’s see if we can dissect this,’ Healy said on SEN Cricket on Tuesday.
‘The Australians bundled out in the early stages of the World Cup… which is more than likely.
‘We were duped just like England cricket, you know, in the lead-up to the Ashes.
‘There was defiance if ever criticised. There was denial that we could be wrong when we picked the power team to play in the finesse conditions of Sri Lanka and India.
‘Well, we’ve heard it all before. It was in November when England had assured everyone that the game had changed and they had it pegged.’
England were criticised during the Ashes series for being arrogant over their insistence to continue playing their brash brand of Bazball cricket. They ultimately suffered a 4-1 series defeat.
Healy continued: ‘Get real, Australia!
‘Our captain chose to retire, post-Bumrah, and finish his Shield cricket in December to have this tournament to totally devote to.
