Hat-trick may not spare Cummins from T20 World Cup chop

Pat Cummins admits that even taking the first hattrick of the T20 World Cup may not save him from the axe when Australia tackle Afghanistan in their next Super Eights clash.

The veteran fast bowler became just the seventh man to claim a hattrick in the history of the tournament in the rain-hit win over Bangladesh on Thursday.

However, Saturday’s clash with Afghanistan is taking place on the spin-friendly wicket of Kingstown in St Vincent.

That could mean Cummins, Josh Hazlewood or Mitchell Starc might sit out the game in favour of another slow bowler.

“Yes, potentially. We’ve been pretty open with that, that anyone in the squad’s ready to play and the bowling line-up might change at different times,” said Cmmmins who has played in three of his team’s five games so far.

“It’s got to be adaptable. We feel like we’ve got all bases covered. So yeah, we’ll rock up there. And I mean, the best thing of all this is I’m not captain or selector or anything, so I just turn up and have no worries.”

Australia played just one frontline fast bowler in the first-round win over Scotland with Adam Zampa, Glenn Maxwell as Ashton Agar providing spin options.

In the victory over England, Cummins, Starc and Hazlewood all played just as they did against Bangladesh.

Starc sat out the match against Namibia with Cummins and Hazlewood getting the nod.

Cummins said he had been unaware he was on a hat-trick in the game against Bangladesh.

After removing Mahmudullah and Mahedi Hasan, his hat-trick ball was the first delivery of his next over when he had Towhid Hridoy caught at fine leg.

“I didn’t know I was on a hat-trick. I did the previous over, I saw it come up on the screen and by the time my next over came around I totally forgot about it,” said Cummins.

“So, I think Marcus Stoinis ran in from the deep, was cheering and I was like, oh yeah, forgot about that. So, yeah, nice one.”