As India and Australia gear up for their much-anticipated ODI series starting on October 19 at Optus Stadium, Perth, the focus will be on two bowlers: Mohammed Siraj and Josh Hazlewood—a pair of proven accuracy and effectiveness in fast, limited-overs bowling. 
With Jasprit Bumrah rested, Siraj comes back to lead India's attack and will look to grab a spot after he missed the 2025 Champions Trophy. Meanwhile, Australia will look to Josh Hazlewood and Mitchell Starc to take over for the injured Pat Cummins. 

Pace Battle: Siraj's Fire vs. Hazlewood's Accuracy 

Both players have had success given their different styles: Siraj providing aggression and swing and Hazlewood control and discipline. 
Siraj made his international debut in 2019 against Australia, taking 71 wickets in 44 ODIs. His best bowling figures of 6/21 came against Sri Lanka in 2023 when he tore through their batting order. 

Hazlewood made his ODI debut in 2010 against England and has proven to be one of Australia's most reliable pace bowlers. He has 72 wickets thus far in ODIs, also in 44 matches, as he remained consistent from his first match.

Statistics That Count: Average, Strike Rate, and Economy Referring to his bowling metrics, Siraj sustains a bowling average of 24.04 and a strike rate of 27.82 for an economy of 5.18. This illustrates that he gets wickets routinely without conceding many runs.

Hazlewood has been marginally more economical in terms of runs per over at 4.47, while maintaining a strong average of 25.15 and strike rate of 31.86 in his first 44 ODIs.

See Also: [WATCH] “Good friendship…”- Yashasvi Jaiswal shares bond with Shubman Gill and his leadership

Impact in Victories: Delivering When It Counts

Siraj's performance is at its peak when India wins. Out of 44 ODIs, India has won 33 with Siraj in the line-up—during which he has taken 59 wickets at an average of 20.47, a strike rate of 25.44, and an economy of 4.83. 

Hazlewood's record in winning causes is similarly sound. In his first 44 ODIs, Australia won 26, and the seam bowler picked up 45 wickets (with an average of 24.58 and economy of 4.76)—showing his penetrative spells and excellent control.

With nearly identical numbers after 44 ODIs, both Siraj and Hazlewood stand shoulder to shoulder statistically. Siraj’s aggression and wicket-taking bursts are perfectly matched by Hazlewood’s discipline and consistency.
As India and Australia lock horns in Perth, this battle between two world-class pacers could well decide who takes the upper hand in the opening ODI clash.

New Zealand is all set to host its neighbour, Australia, for a 3-match T20I series. The New Zealand vs Australia 1st T20I match is scheduled to take place on Wednesday at the Bay Oval cricket stadium.

The two teams have met 19 times in the past, and Australia holds an advantage with 13 wins. New Zealand has managed to score 6 wins in the past. In the last 6 matches, Australia has managed to win 4 matches, and New Zealand stand with 2 wins in the T20I format. 

NZ vs AUS Match Details

Date: 1st October, 2025

Time: 11:45 PM IST

Venue: Bay Oval, Mount Maunganui 

Live Streaming: Fancode  

NZ vs AUS Weather & Pitch Report 

Whether Report -

There are no signs of any rain interruptions throughout the game. It is pleasant conditions and perfect throughout the game.

Pitch Report -

• Avg 1st innings score: 175-185

• The chasing team has an advantage

Also Read: ICC Women's ODI World Cup 2025: AUS-W vs NZ-W Today Match Prediction– 2nd Match, Who will win today?

Top Batters to Watch in NZ vs AUS

• Mitchell Marsh (AUS) - 1799 runs in T20I

• Devon Conway (NZ) - 1542 runs in T20I 

• Marcus Stoinis (AUS) – 1245 runs in T20I 

Top Bowler to Watch in NZ vs AUS

• Ish Sodhi (NZ) - 150 wickets in T20I 

• Adam Zampa (AUS) - 130 wickets in T20I 

• Josh Hazlewood (AUS) - 73 wickets in T20I 

NZ vs AUS Recent Form

NZ vs AUS Today Match Prediction Scenarios

Scenario 1- If NZ bats first

• First Innings score prediction- NZ is expected to score 180-190 runs

• Result prediction- NZ will win the match by 15-20 Runs 

Scenario 2- If AUS bats first

• First Innings score prediction- AUS is expected to score 160-170 runs.

• Result prediction- NZ will win the match by 4 wickets 

NZ vs AUS Predicted Playing XI

New Zealand (NZ) Playing XI 

Tim Seifert (wk), Rachin Ravindra, Devon Conway, Daryl Mitchell, Michael Bracewell (c), Mark Chapman, Kyle Jamieson, Matt Henry, Ish Sodhi, Jacob Duffy.

Australia (AUS) Playing XI

Mitchell Marsh (c), Travis Head, Marcus Stoinis, Mitchell Owen, Tim David, Alex Carey (wk), Matthew Short, Xavier Bartlett, Ben Dwarshuis, Josh Hazlewood, Adam Zampa.

NZ vs AUS Complete Squad

New Zealand - 

Michael Bracewell (c), Mark Chapman, Devon Conway, Jacob Duffy, Zak Foulkes, Matt Henry, Bevon Jacobs, Kyle Jamieson, Daryl Mitchell, Rachin Ravindra, Tim Robinson, Ben Sears, Tim Seifert, Ish Sodhi

Australia -

Mitchell Marsh (c), Sean Abbott, Xavier Bartlett, Alex Carey, Tim David, Ben Dwarshuis, Josh Hazlewood, Travis Head, Matt Kuhnemann, Mitchell Owen, Josh Philippe, Matthew Short, Marcus Stoinis, Adam Zampa

NZ vs AUS Today Match Prediction - Who Will Win Today?

New Zealand to win

We predict that New Zealand will win the 1st T20I match. The likes of Tim Seifert, Rachin Ravindra and Michael Bracewell will be key players to watch out for.

Get the NZ vs AUS match prediction, playing XI, weather report, and fantasy tips for the 1st T20I Match of the Australia tour of New Zealand 2025. Who will win today?

Still a few months to go, but already the hype has started to rise around the upcoming Ashes series, where two arch rivals, Australia and England, will face each other. Due to their recent past performances in Test cricket, Australia is considered the favorite to win the series.

But Josh Hazlewood has different thoughts. He is expecting a tough challenge from the England cricket team, as they have multiple exciting talents. The Australia pacer recently said that players like Harry Brook or Joe Root can make a difference between two teams. Hazlewood heavily applauded Brook, who was in fine touch against India during the Anderson-Tendulkar trophy.

"England has obviously had quite flat wickets recently, the last few years, and it's been a really dry summer as well, so they are probably starting to get tired and spin now... I think Harry Brook will adapt. He's a good player. He's at the top of the rankings for a reason, and he'll be a tough challenge," Hazlewood said. 

Read More: England pacer Mark Wood targets County Championship for comeback ahead of the Ashes 2025

A test for Harry Brook as well

Brook made his Test debut for England in 2022; since then, he has played 30 matches in the Whites. During this period, the middle-order batter faced Australia in the format in 2023. It was the home series for England, and Brook played all five matches in a promising way. But he never faced Australia in Tests on an away series. The upcoming Ashes can be Brook's career's first Test assignment on the land of Kangaroos. 

England's best batting line-up in a while to tour Australia?

Read more: https://t.co/VHXk2P2sGT pic.twitter.com/cvrjVInTY7

— ESPNcricinfo (@ESPNcricinfo) August 28, 2025

"I think a fresh face like Harry Brook might find it easier. There's no baggage behind him, and he can just come out and play with freedom as he does. Joe's probably in the form of his life as well. So they're an unbelievable batting line, to be honest. The top seven have done really well...so it's a challenge," Hazlewood added. 

After Australia’s huge victory during the opening T20I encounter of the three-match series at the Marrara Cricket Ground in Darwin against South Africa, the visitors looked to make a strong comeback during the second fixture at the same venue. Another loss in the toss for Aiden Markram saw the Proteas forced to bat first. Both made changes to the playing elevens. 

Rassie van der Dussen comes at number three while Nqabayomzi Peter returned to the eleven, replacing George Linde and Senuran Muthusamy. For the Mitchell Marsh-led side, Alex Carey returned to the shortest format for Australia after four years alongside Sean Abbott. Josh Inglis and Nathan Ellis made way out of the team.

See Also: Rohit Sharma’s wife Ritika Sajdesh posts emotional Instagram story for stray dogs

The most viral video came on the final ball of the third over from Josh Hazlewood, who went short against Aiden Markram. The batter loved the length and picked it early to deposit it over deep square leg for half a dozen as the spectator grabbed a fine one-handed catch. The Rainbow nation scored 32 runs for the loss of no wicket in the first three overs of the first innings.

Watch: Aiden Markram pulls Josh Hazlewood for massive six during AUS vs SA 2nd T20I match

Markram smashed the very first ball of the innings through the covers for a four before chipping it through mid-off with impeccable timing for the same result. After a silent over of four runs from Glenn Maxwell in the second over, Ryan Ricketon joined the party.

Hazlewood to Markram - Six🥵
He conceded 28 runs in the powerplay (Shocking ) pic.twitter.com/fjZ35m1VOi

— 𝙆𝙋𝙏𝘼𝘼𝙉 🇿🇦 (@was_Kptaan) August 12, 2025

The first ball of the third over was a good length delivery around middle and leg, which was heaved over the mid-on region by the southpaw. The second ball was slapped over deep mid-wicket for a towering six before finding the gap between the backward point and short third man for a huge four.

South Africa struggled a little in the second half of the powerplay and ended with 2/50 in six overs. But the best came from Dewald Brevis, who took on the other bowlers to stretch themselves to 123/3 in 12 overs. Brevis smashed 67 runs by then in 29 balls, having already smacked Maxwell for 24 runs, including three sixes in six balls.

The 1st Test of the Australia tour of the West Indies, played in Bridgetown from June 25-27, 2025, ended with Australia winning a convincing 159-run victory. Australia scored 180 and 310 in their innings, leaving West Indies with a tough task of 301. Although a resilient effort was made by the West Indies, they managed 190 and 141, and were short, as Australia took a 1-0 lead in the series.

Australia 1st Innings – 180/10 (56.5 Overs)

Australia's top order was in trouble as Sam Konstas (3 off 14) went early to Jayden Seales, while Usman Khawaja (47 off 128) was nudged behind to Shai Hope off Shamar Joseph. The top order continued to collapse with Cameron Green (3 off 21) and Josh Inglis (5 off 15) going, leaving the score at 81/4. Travis Head gave a dogged 59 off 78 deliveries with 9 fours, temporarily saving the innings. Pat Cummins contributed 28 off 18 balls, 3 fours, and a six, but the middle order was creaking under pressure. Jayden Seales took 5/60 from 15.5 overs, and Shamar Joseph's 4/46 from 16 overs destroyed the batting. Nathan Lyon was not out on 9 off 17, but the tail wagged limpily to 180. Australia had to depend heavily on their bowlers to defend this modest score.

West Indies 1st Innings – 190/10 (63.2 Overs)

West Indies began badly with Kraigg Brathwaite (4 off 15) and John Campbell (7 off 22) getting out cheaply to Mitchell Starc, leaving them at 10/2. Keacy Carty (20 off 40) and Brandon King (26 off 44) tried to make a comeback, but the top order could not establish a strong partnership. Shai Hope's 48 off 91 balls with 5 fours gave solidity, and Roston Chase's 44 off 108 offered support. Alzarri Joseph (23 off 20) and Jayden Seales (2 off 13) contributed late scoring, but wickets kept falling at regular intervals. Mitchell Starc registered 3/65, Josh Hazlewood 2/41, and Pat Cummins 2/34, making the most of the conditions. The innings finished on 190, a 10-run lead, laying bare batting weaknesses. This close advantage made the game competitive for the second innings, with bowlers being slightly in favor of the West Indies.

Australia 2nd Innings – 310/10 (81.5 Overs)

Australia's second innings was resilient, with Usman Khawaja (15 from 22) and Sam Konstas (5 from 38) getting out early to Shamar Joseph. Travis Head (61 from 95 with 8 fours) and Beau Webster (63 from 120) formed a vital 100-run stand. Alex Carey's 65 off 75 balls, including 7 fours and 2 sixes, drove the middle order along, while Nathan Lyon was not out on 13 off 27. Shamar Joseph yet again performed, taking 5/87 off 25.5 overs, but Jayden Seales (1/70) could not hold back the tide. The total was 310, making a strong 301-run target. This display of depth and resilience pressured the West Indies’ batting, setting the stage for an intense chase on the final day.

West Indies 2nd Innings – 141/10 (Target: 301) in 33.4 Overs

Chasing 301, West Indies lost Kraigg Brathwaite (4 off 6) and John Campbell (23 off 31) early to Mitchell Starc, slumping to 16/2. Keacy Carty (20 off 36) and Shai Hope (2 off 21) couldn't settle, and the top order collapsed. Shamar Joseph's 44 off 22 balls (4 fours, 4 sixes) and Justin Greaves' 38* off 53 put up resistance, but the middle order didn't deliver. Josh Hazlewood's 5/43 from 12 overs and Nathan Lyon's 2/20 from 2.4 overs shut the innings at 141, short by 159 runs. The collapse, losing 8 wickets for 25 runs after 116/2, exposed batting weaknesses. Australia's bowlers controlled the last day, gaining a series lead.

WI vs AUS 1st Test: Key Moments

• Shamar Joseph's Nine-Wicket Haul: Captured 4/46 and 5/87, along with a defiant 44, almost lasting out the game.
• Travis Head's Twin Fifties: 59 and 61 on a difficult pitch won him Player of the Match.
• Josh Hazlewood's Pivotal Spell: 5/43 in the 4th innings sealed the deal on Day 3.
• West Indies' Collapse: 8 wickets lost for 25 runs after 116/2, revealing batting weakness.
• Nathan Lyon's Deciding Touch: 2/20 in the second innings sealed Australia's 159-run victory.

See Also: SL vs BAN 2nd Test: Key moments and Full match highlights

WI vs AUS, 1st Test: Match Scorecard

Australia 1st Innings – 180/10 (56.5 Overs)

West Indies 1st Innings – 190/10 (63.2 Overs)

Australia 2nd Innings – 310/10 (81.5 Overs)

West Indies 2nd Innings – 141/10 (33.4 Overs) (Target: 301)

WI vs AUS 1st Test, Day 3: 

• Australia: 180 and 310
• West Indies: 190 and 141
• Australia won the match by 159 runs

The neck-to-neck match in Kensington Oval, Barbados, concluded with statements from Australia. They wrapped up the first Test match of the ongoing 3-match series on Day 3. Josh Hazlewood ruled over the West Indies batting lineup and claimed a 5-wicket haul.

Australia, the former World Test Champion side, offered the host team a target of 301 runs, which was a little bit difficult for the side led by Roston Chase due to the nature of the surface. From Day 1, pacers got extra help from the wicket. Against the Australian bowling line-up, WI's batting was clearly lacking the required temperament.

Travis Head again stepped up to save his team. He scored fifty-plus scores in both innings and got the man of the match award. Australia ended Day 2 with 92 for 4 wickets, hinting at another possible batting collapse. In the first innings, they were bowled out for 180 runs only. But, in the second innings, the Aussies proved their mettle. Head (61), Beau Webster (63), and Alex Carey (65) guided the team to 310. Shamar Joseph bagged a 5-wicket figure in this essay.

Read More: SL vs BAN 2nd Test, Day 4: Key moments and match highlights

Key factors of the match:

• Double 50+ scores by Travis Head 
• 5-wicket haul for Josh Hazlewood 
• 5-wicket haul for Shamar Joseph 

When the West Indies came to bat in the second innings, they just couldn't stand against the Hazlewood-led Aussie bowling attack. Justin Greaves' unbeaten 38 and Shamar Joseph's 22-ball, 44-run stormy innings only delayed the victory for Australia. In the end, Australia, led by Pat Cummins, won the match by 159 runs and took the lead of the 3-match Test series by 1-0. 

WI vs AUS 1st Test, Day 3 final scorecard in brief

West Indies- 141/10 (Second Innings)

Mitchell Starc and Josh Hazlewood showed great fight on the third morning of the World Test Championship Final at Lord’s, frustrating South Africa with a gutsy last-wicket stand of 59 runs. Their partnership helped Australia stretch their second innings total to 207 and set a tough target of 282.

Australia started the day at 144 for 8. Nathan Lyon didn’t last long and was trapped LBW by Kagiso Rabada in just the second over of the morning. When Hazlewood walked in, South Africa would have expected to wrap things up quickly. But Starc and Hazlewood had other plans.

The pair battled hard and stayed at the crease for almost two hours. The pitch had eased up a bit, and the sun was out, making batting easier than the first two days. Starc, who was on 14 overnight, took full advantage of the conditions. He played with great patience and slowly built his innings. He reached a well-deserved half-century from 132 balls.

Just before lunch, Marco Jansen came back to bowl and got an edge off Starc’s bat, but the ball flew over the slips for four. That shot not only brought up Starc’s fifty but also raised the fifty-run partnership for the last wicket. It was Starc’s eighth Test fifty from the No. 9 position or lower the most by any tailender in Test history.

With no breakthrough in sight, South African captain Temba Bavuma turned to part-time bowler Aiden Markram. The move paid off. After bowling a tight first over, Markram got Hazlewood out for 17 from 53 balls in his second over, ending Australia’s innings.

ALSO READ: GLO vs SOM Dream11 Prediction Today: Fantasy Cricket Tips PlayingXI and Pitch Report

Twitter reactions after Strac Scored 50 in WTC Final

Playing 100 balls as a bowler is not everyone's cup of tea#AUSvSA #WTCFinal #MitchelStarc pic.twitter.com/X7C7eqKFSj

— Memes Banisalu (@Memes_Banisalu) June 13, 2025

No arrogance
No self obsession
No attitude
Never played for economy
No unnecessary rest
No choking in knockouts
No illegal action
Can hold bat too

Ladies and gentleman that's Mitchell Starc for you 🐐pic.twitter.com/umDrH9rxsf

— D.🇲🇰 (@dkhive102) June 13, 2025

Mitchell Starc is a bowler❌
Mitchell Starc is a Batsman❌

Mitchell Starc is an all-rounder ✅ pic.twitter.com/s3avWX5oc1

— Lokesh Saini🚩 (@LokeshVirat18K) June 13, 2025

🚨Hats off to Starc!🚨

You may somehow escape Mitchell Starc’s fire-breathing bowling, but then comes his fearless batting will break your defense. A true match-winner and one of the greatest players of this generation.

-Huge respect for Starc 🙌 pic.twitter.com/gSQdvAbTAf

— Niik (@Niiki099) June 13, 2025

A knock that made the coach smile, the captain happy, and his wife proud👏

Mitchell Starc won’t forget this one for a long time. pic.twitter.com/tDpuTaotR0

— Root Jaiswal (@JaiswalRoot) June 13, 2025

Mitchell Starc with Bat - 👽
Mitchell Starc with Ball - 💀 pic.twitter.com/r6wJDaKqwr

— legendary GOATS (@goats_legend) June 13, 2025

Another day, another match-winning spell from Starc!
How lucky is Australia to have this legend still firing on all cylinders? 🇦🇺🏆 #MitchellStarc #GOAT pic.twitter.com/LmIp6doG5k

— vikash Kumar Sinha (@vikashaps) June 13, 2025

Set aside his bowling — when the team’s in deep trouble, he steps up with the bat. Walked in at 72/7 and dragged them to a fighting 207, facing the most balls.
Clutch performer in knockout games, every single time! 🔥#WTCFinal #MitchellStarc pic.twitter.com/jmuCXVkyC6

— Srinath Roychowdhury (@SrinathRoychow1) June 13, 2025

Lord's, London, June 11, 2025 – Josh Hazlewood provided a moment of sparkle at 20.2 overs, sending back Tristan Stubbs for 2 and deepening South Africa’s woes in the World Test Championship (WTC) Final 2025. Having South Africa's bowlers, spearheaded by Kagiso Rabada's 5/51, dismiss Australia for 212, their batting faltered against a fiery Australian pace attack. Hazlewood's jaffa—a 136 kmph good-length ball outside off that curved back sharply—snuck through Stubbs' defense, breaking his stumps as the batter played from the crease and couldn't recover to the inward movement. 

South Africa's innings started on a wobbly note, with Mitchell Starc getting rid of Aiden Markram for a duck in the first over and Ryan Rickelton for 16, caught at slip. Pat Cummins joined the attack, sending Wiaan Mulder back for 6, leaving the Proteas 25/3 prior to Hazlewood's delivery. Stubbs, who was supposed to steady the middle order, scored only 2 from 13 balls, going to Hazlewood's unrelenting accuracy. The Australian pacers took advantage of the seaming Lord's surface, with South Africa's batting group finding it difficult to support their bowlers' initial superiority.

Hazlewood's triumph mirrored Australia's resurgence, and they felt a chance to seize control. South Africa, on 30/4, looked up to captain Temba Bavuma and David Bedingham to arrest the collapse. Australia's bowlers, having given away only 43 runs from 22 overs, demonstrated their champion pedigree, subjecting the Proteas to extreme pressure on a track producing consistent movement.

Watch the video here

Aesthetic... done and dusted. Josh Hazlewood joins party took Stubus wicket.

Australia's bowling attack is unreal. pic.twitter.com/Um5U0Ly8t3

— Ammarꨄ (@itxamustafa4) June 11, 2025

Also Read: SA vs AUS WTC Final 2025 Day 1 Recap – Key performances and major highlights

Australia Tighten Grip

David Bedingham pushed back at the end of the day with successive boundaries off Cummins, remaining unbeaten on 8, with Bavuma still on 3. South Africa's collapse at the top, however, left them exposed to the Australian pacers on a thrilling Day 1.

The Proteas are in need of a steely partnership on Day 2 to undo Australia's bowling prowess. With the pitch still favoring the seamers, South Africa has an uphill task to bridge the 169-run gap.

Current Score: South Africa 43/4 (22 overs)—David Bedingham 8*, Temba Bavuma 3*; Josh Hazlewood 1/10, Mitchell Starc 2/10.

Royal Challengers Bangalore finally ended its wait for an IPL trophy after 18 years. The franchise has witnessed some of the best players in their dugout every season, but has failed to win the trophy. The 2025 season was a special one for RCB, and the team produced a collective effort. Every player stepped up during demanding situations, whether it was the experience of Virat Kohli and Josh Hazlewood or Jitesh Sharma's aggressive batting and Krunal Pandya's clever off-spin.

New skipper Jitesh Sharma showcased tremendous calmness under pressure and made clever bowling changes depending on the batting team's strengths. In this piece, we discuss five players who played a big role in helping the team win the IPL trophy for the first time. We discuss these five players in detail:

1. Virat Kohli

'King Kohli' was again the core of the RCB batting line-up, showcasing aggression in his batting. The 36-year-old scored 657 runs in 15 IPL games during the 2025 season, scoring 8 half-centuries with a strike rate of 144.71. The former India skipper played an influential role while chasing big totals. The right-hander used his experience of playing in different situations. Kohli built his innings cleverly and accelerated when needed.

2. Josh Hazlewood

The Australian pacer used his experience in judging the conditions and wickets to good effect. The 34-year-old didn't allow the opposition batters to score easily. Hazlewood managed to claim crucial wickets during the run of play with his clever swing and seam movements.

His leg cutters troubled the batters on slow wickets, and he used his slower ones smartly. He claimed 22 wickets in 12 IPL games during the entire season with best bowling figures of 4/33.

See Also: 4 players who have scored 5,000-plus runs in both the IPL and Test cricket

3. Phil Salt

Phil Salt was crucial in providing acceleration as an opener. His destructive hitting destroyed the opposition's morale. The 28-year-old smashed the opposition bowlers out of the park.

The England opener read the wickets well and attacked the spinners at will. The right-hander was aggressive against pacers when they bowled short of length or when he was offered width. The England wicket-keeper batter scored 403 runs in 13 IPL games with a strike rate of 175.98 by registering 4 half-centuries.

4. Krunal Pandya

Krunal Pandya was the core of the RCB bowling lineup in the entire season. The left-arm off-spinner mixed his deliveries cleverly. The 34-year-old caused problems for the batters with his length and bowled quicker through the air to surprise the batters. Pandya claimed 17 wickets in 15 IPL games with best bowling figures of 4/25. Krunal Pandya's inclusion added penetration in the RCB bowling lineup.

5. Jitesh Sharma

Jitesh Sharma's inclusion made the RCB batting lineup robust. The 32-year-old was bought for a sum of INR 11 crore by RCB, and the wicket-keeper batter turned out to be valuable with his powerful hitting abilities. The right-hander stepped up when needed, scoring 261 runs in 15 IPL games with a strike rate of 176.35. Jitesh Sharma can play match-winning innings, and that is exactly what he did this season.

Australia's preparation for the next World Test Championship (WTC) Final is at full throttle, with the limelight shining on senior pacer Josh Hazlewood. The game, to be contested at the legendary Lord's Cricket Ground, will pit Australia against South Africa. Hazlewood, who has been in breathtaking form of late, will be one of the major stalwarts to look out for, considering his bravado in the just-concluded Indian Premier League (IPL).

The 34-year-old pace bowler was a star performer for Royal Challengers Bengaluru (RCB) to guide the team to its first-ever IPL trophy. With 22 wickets from only 12 matches at a respectable average of 17.54, Hazlewood was the top wicket-taker for his team and third overall in the tournament. This earned him the nickname of being 'HazleGod' by Indian fans—a title that has gone viral on social media.

In spite of the admiration, Hazlewood is humble about the new nickname. In a video posted on the ICC's Instagram, he confided that he found the nickname flattering but had his doubts about its catching on in his native country. “Yeah, hopefully, it runs out of steam pretty quickly. It's flattering, obviously, to hear it around the grounds in India, but I don't think it'll take off in Australia, he remarked with a grin.

Reactions from Teammates and Fans

Australian colleagues Mitchell Starc and Nathan Lyon also added to Hazlewood's new nickname. Starc, having a good chuckle about the name, hoped it stuck and complimented Hazlewood's phenomenal form and contribution in the IPL. He was looking forward to seeing his pace colleague contribute the same vigor and talent to the final at Lord's.

Watch the video here

 

 

 

 

 

View this post on Instagram

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

A post shared by ICC (@icc)

Also Read: 'You've lost all respect' - Former cricketer slams move to rename Pataudi Trophy as Anderson-Tendulkar Trophy ahead of ENG vs IND 2025 Tests

Nathan Lyon, however, had a lighter perspective to offer. In his account, Hazlewood had even begun calling himself 'HazleGod,' a development that had left the off-spinner totally bewildered. Lyon accepted Hazlewood's monopolistic dominance of India and teased that the nickname could well be with us for a long time.