Australia 'very close' to best combination for T20 World Cup – Justin Langer

Australia are in South Africa for a limited-overs series, comprising three T20Is and as many ODIs, and have a settled squad heading into the first T20I in Johannesburg on Friday, 21 February.

They have been unbeaten in the format since 2019 – with seven wins and a no-result – and are a lot more assured than they were this time last year, when their best combination for the ICC Men's Cricket World Cup 2019 was still up in the air.

Relatively, it’s been a more measured approach to this year’s big event. “We probably left it a little bit late [last year]," Langer was quoted as saying by cricket.com.au. [This year], we're pretty close to where we want to be. But, obviously, there's opportunities and there's always opportunities that present every time we play a game.

“But we are getting very close to that style of play and the team we want to play [with] when the World Cup comes around. But it's still eight or nine months away."

However, there is uncertainty over one spot in the middle order, with Matthew Wade, D’Arcy Short and Mitchell Marsh competing for it. With Glenn Maxwell sitting out of this tour due to injury, it’s an opportunity for two of those players to make a mark.

At the moment, Wade seems to be the front-runner, even though he hasn’t played a T20I since 2016. “[Wade] got that hundred in the Big Bash a few weeks ago [against Adelaide] and reminded us all how damaging he can be," Langer said. “And also, on the Australia A tour last year leading up to the Ashes, he scored two hundreds in four innings in one-day cricket.

"He's so dynamic, he plays spin very well, he bats at No.5 for us in the Test side [and] he's a very experienced. He'll adjust and we know with a few of our guys, if we need them to open, they can open. But we're looking for those guys to finish the innings for us and we've made no secret of that."

The three-match T20I series finishes in Cape Town on 26 February, before the ODIs commence in Paarl.