T20 World Cup 2024: Australia begin with comfortable win against Oman

Australia are attempting to achieve the unique feat of holding all three men’s major trophies at the same time by adding the T20 World Cup to the 50-over title and the World Test Championship won last year.

Their quest began in uncertain fashion, their top order struggling on another tricky pitch, but in the end they ran out comfortable winners.

The wobble started when Travis Head hit left-armer Bilal Khan to mid-off for 12, before Mitchell Marsh was taken at long-on for 14 from 21 balls trying to break the shackles and Glenn Maxwell was caught athletically at extra cover by captain Aqib Ilyas for a first-ball duck.

What proved crucial were the drops of Stoinis. Australia were 77-3 in the 14th when wicketkeeper Pratik Athavale failed to grasp a thick edge off Ilyas’ leg-spin.

Stoinis, who later had Ilyas and Zeeshan Maqsood caught behind plus Mehran Khan taken at long-on, hit seamer Mehran for four sixes in the next over – an over which cost 26.

The first of those came when Ayaan Khan took a catch on the long-off boundary but backpedalled over the boundary.

In contrast to Stoinis’ powerful striking, Warner was relatively becalmed. He is set to retire from international duty after this tournament and his half-century took him beyond Aaron Finch, making him Australia’s all-time leading scorer in the format.

The target was always likely to be beyond Oman, even more so when Starc had opener Athavale lbw for a first-ball duck with a trademark inswinging yorker in the first over.

Starc, along with Test and 50-over captain Pat Cummins who was rested, arrived late in the Caribbean after taking part in the Indian Premier League and then being held up further by a delayed flight.

His injury, albeit possibly only cramp, will be a worry.