Aaron Finch Opens Up On Australia's 2019 World Cup Semifinal Exit

Australia’s swashbuckling opener and captain Aaron Finch was named the Australian ODI Player of the Year at Cricket Australia’s annual awards night on Monday. The ceremony was held at Crown Palladium, where present and former greats of the game were acknowledged for their contribution to Australian cricket.

Speaking at the event, Finch reflected on his team’s semifinal defeat at the 2019 ODI World Cup, at the hands of arch-rivals England.

The 33-year-old has scored 1141 runs at a surreal average of 51.86 including four centuries in the timespan that saw him collect another individual honour.

However, he took the opportunity to talk about the collective setback Australia suffered last year. He also gave an insight on the reason that he feels cost the Aussies, a place in the World Cup final in 2019.

It hurts every day – Aaron Finch lifts the lid on Australia’s World Cup semifinal exit

Australia emphatically began their title defence by defeating Afghanistan. They ended the group stage in second place, behind leaders India but eventually bowed out of the tournament, after being defeated by eventual winners England.

Finch reflected in the defeat on Monday, whilst admitting that it still causes him pain.

“It hurts every day. You think about it and it’s something you look back on and think what you could have done differently to change the result but you move on after a while,” he was quoted as saying by THE AGE. 

The right-handed opener also added that in his opinion, Australia peaked too early in the tournament, and did not have enough fuel left in them, by the time they reached the semis.

He said, “That is something in a World Cup – I think you have to peak at the right time. Whether that’s 100 per cent or 90 per cent, you have to be tracking in the right direction at the end of the tournament.”

Injuries also played their part in derailing Australia’s ODI World Cup defence, but they will have a shot at redemption by claiming the T20 World Cup which will be held in their backyard, later in October this year.

Meanwhile, in the short term, the Aussies will play three T20Is and as many ODIs in South Africa, starting from 21st February.