Maxwell to lead spin in powerplay as Australia eye 2026 World Cup

Australia’s Glenn Maxwell is sharpening his spin bowling with a view to taking on a bigger role with the ball at next year’s T20 World Cup in the Indian subcontinent. The 36-year-old allrounder has begun focusing on bowling in the powerplay, where he could be handed new-ball duties on spinner-friendly pitches in India and Sri Lanka. He has already bowled two overs in the powerplay in recent T20Is against South Africa, including the dismissals of key batsmen, and he stressed that his primary aim is to contribute with the ball while continuing to adapt his batting to team needs.

Maxwell’s comments come as Australia maps a path toward reclaiming a title they last won in 2021. The 2026 T20 World Cup will be co-hosted by India and Sri Lanka, presenting a subcontinent where dry surfaces and a hard new ball can offer added grip for spinners early in games. Maxwell indicated that the conditions could allow him to extract more from the ball in the initial overs, a factor he intends to harness as part of Australia’s broader strategy.

Beyond his bowling, Maxwell has demonstrated his flexibility with the bat, moving up and down the order as required. He opened the West Indies series, then...