Acing the game of 'tournament play'

You'd have probably come across the phrase 'peaking at the right time' over the past few days with regards to Australia and the 2023 ODI World Cup.

- Rutvick Mehta

Here's another term in the same context: tournament play. "We seem to be peaking at the right time, which Australia tend to do in tournament play," Mitchell Starc said before Australia beat South Africa to earn the right to play India in the final.

That's a lot of sporting jargon in one sentence, but also one that the Aussies have stayed true to in this World Cup.

So, what exactly is tournament play? It has no definition, but reflects a trend-of starting slow in a marquee event that lasts a considerable length, picking up the pieces along with pace just in time, switching gears and riding the gradually-built momentum deep. It's a slow burner that shines the brightest when the stakes are highest.

The five-time ODI world champions began this World Cup with two defeats to India (6 wickets) and South Africa (134 runs), lying 10th in the standings at one point with no signs of an upswing. There were certainly none when Sri Lanka were 125/0 in Australia's third league game.

Until something flipped. David Warner took a spectacular catch for the first Lankan wicket, and off went Australia. On an eight-match winning run when another defeat or two could've well pulled them out of the knockout race.