Usman Khawaja notched up an impressive 89 against Bangladesh in their last World Cup game at Trent Bridge in Nottingham on Thursday (June 20). In that game, Khawaja came ahead of Smith, who has batted in the No. 3 position. Smith batted at No. 6 against Bangladesh, a position occupied by him in the game against Pakistan.
“It’s all above board, everyone is communicating, everyone is talking and no one – myself, Smithy, Maxi (Glenn Maxwell) — no-one really has any issue batting anywhere,” Khawaja told the media.
“Where the game situation is for us, down there wherever we are, is what we will play. Whether that is against India where we needed 10 an over, or a first innings like this (against Bangladesh) where we are setting a total, we are just playing a game situation.
“What the team needs (comes first). We are all really happy with that,” the 32-year-old added.
For Khawaja specifically, Australia’s method has forced him to adapt his game to different positions.
“Whether I am coming in in the 15th over, 30th over, 45th over, whether we are chasing, whether we are setting (a total) the way I am going to play is dictated by the game,” Khawaja said.
“That is the difference between batting in the middle order and when you are opening. Because when you are opening, you are there in the first 10 overs, the game plan is pretty simple – you try and get as many runs as you can in the power play and you go from there. There is that little bit of difference,” Khawaja, who also scored 42 against India, said.
