'What's the point?' Cup-bound Hazlewood no fan of IPL rule

Sticking solid to his pace profession, Josh Hazlewood has zero interest in the IPL's much-discussed 'impact player' rule spreading into other tournaments as he and his national teammates begin to plot their pursuit of a second T20 World Cup title.

Hazlewood and T20I skipper Mitchell Marsh were among a contingent of World Cup squad members who convened at the National Cricket Centre in Brisbane today, where they were belatedly joined by head coach Andrew McDonald following a flight delay.

The 33-year-old skipped this year's IPL due to the birth of his first child, Zac – who arrived safely almost six weeks ago – but had made himself available for the back-end of the tournament as a potential replacement player.

Had he known in advance of this season's tournament's scoring explosion, he might not have bothered.

"I think it's just purely down to that impact (rule)," Hazlewood said of the extra batter/bowler option that has contributed to scorelines consistently passing 200, and even a target of 262 chased down by Punjab with eight balls remaining.

"Batting lineups just seem to be never-ending now. I'm not sure it's a great rule. The conditions have come into play a little bit lately with bowlers having a bit of impact, but I mean, you've got (batters) like Tim David at number eight, sometimes number nine.

"You don't really feel like you attack and try and get wickets in the Powerplay because what's the point when you've got those guys coming in at those eight, nine spots?

"Obviously the crowd loves it – there's 200-plus scores nearly every night – and it's good for batters, but it might need a bit of tinkering.

"I'm certainly not (keen for it to be used elsewhere)."

That includes the upcoming T20 World Cup in the Caribbean and United States, which begins next month, though chances are Hazlewood and his fast-bowling mates Mitchell Starc and Pat Cummins would back themselves to adapt to whatever new challenges they are confronted with.

In fact, 'adaptability' looks likely to present as something of a buzzword for Australia's bowling group at the tournament.

Hazlewood insists it is what helped them to both of their recent World Cup triumphs in Asia, in 2021 (T20) and 2023 (ODI), and he expects it to again be pivotal when they are presented with varying playing surfaces on six different Caribbean islands.

"The (St Lucia) wicket was pretty good – the scores were quite high," the right-armer said of Australia's white-ball tour of the Caribbean in 2021, which took in five T20Is in St Lucia and three ODIs in Barbados, where they will begin their campaign this time around, against Oman on June 6.

"(We) got to Barbados for the one-dayers and it was very slow. They did their damage with spinners, but we did it with quicks as well, so you've just got to adjust to the conditions and do your best on the day.

"I think experience probably comes into play there. We (himself, Cummins, Starc) have obviously been around for quite a while now … learned from previous tours and you just keep arming your game better and better as you get older. You learn from different experiences along the way, and I guess you put that all together and try and master that, the older you get."

Across the 2021 and 2023 World Cup triumphs, Hazlewood's 27 wickets were the most by an Australian quick, and while Cummins and Starc have been subjected to the chaos and carnage of the current helter skelter IPL, the laidback New South Welshman has been gradually fine-tuning his preparation for a shot at a fourth World Cup title.

"I've diced it up a bit differently this break," he said. "I've kept going almost from New Zealand – had a few weeks off but just (having) light bowls, to keep the body moving, and keep the body conditioned, as opposed to having a longer break.

"It's all eyes on the West Indies now."

2024 ICC Men's T20 World Cup

Australia's squad

Mitch Marsh (c), Ashton Agar, Pat Cummins, Tim David, Nathan Ellis, Cameron Green, Josh Hazlewood, Travis Head, Josh Inglis, Glenn Maxwell, Mitchell Starc, Marcus Stoinis, Matthew Wade, David Warner, Adam Zampa

Australia's Group B fixtures

June 6: v Oman, Kensington Oval, Barbados, 10.30am AEST

June 9: v England, Kensington Oval, Barbados, 3am AEST

June 12: v Namibia, Sir Vivian Richards Stadium, Antigua, 10.30am AEST

June 16: v Scotland, Daren Sammy Stadium, St Lucia, 10.30am AEST

Super Eights, finals to follow if Australia qualify

For the full list of fixtures click here. All matches will be broadcast live on Amazon Prime