Lord's will play host to the end of an era this week as James Anderson plays his final Test for England.
The 41-year-old has not precisely gone out on his own terms, with the Ben Stokes-Brendon McCullum setup opting to move on from an all-time bowling great.
Speaking ahead of his farewell appearance against West Indies on Monday, Anderson reiterated that he was bowling as well as he ever has, but said he had "made peace" with England's decision to revamp their attack.
Now, his focus will be going out on a high as he plays his 188th and final Test on the same ground where he made his debut 21 years ago.
Ahead of an emotional few days at an iconic venue, we run through the Opta data surrounding Anderson's remarkable career.
The records
Anderson will, without a doubt, be remembered as the finest paceman England have ever produced. In fact, he is the all-time leading Test wicket-taker among fast bowlers from any country, managing 700 dismissals in his 187 matches.
Stuart Broad, his close friend and team-mate for 138 of those contests, is a distant second with 604 in 167 outings, with Australia's Glenn McGrath (563), Windies' Courtney Walsh (519) and South Africa's Dale Steyn (439) rounding out the top five.
Among all bowlers in Test history, Anderson ranks third for wickets taken, behind Muthiah Muralidaran (800) and Australia icon Shane Wayne (708), some way clear of Anil Kumble (619) in fourth.
Anderson also edges out Broad in England's all-time appearance charts, though he will fall short of the global Test record held by Sachin Tendulkar, who represented India 200 times between 1989 and 2013.
While Anderson's legacy in the bowling stakes is set in stone, his contributions to the tail end of the batting order should also not be forgotten.
Anderson has 1,353 Test runs in total, with 687 coming at #11. No other batter in history can match that return at the position, with his highest score – a remarkable 81 versus India at Trent Bridge in 2014 – coming when he batted last.
The highs
That haul was certainly Anderson's best moment with the bat, but what about with the ball, doing what he does best?
Anderson started as he meant to go on when making his Test bow against Zimbabwe in 2003, going 5-73 in the second innings for the first of 32 career five-wicket hauls.
His best Test figures came in September 2017, as he finished 7-42 in the third innings of a win over West Indies at Lords. His only other seven-wicket haul came in 2008 at Trent Bridge as New Zealand were vanquished.
In fact, 2017 was the most efficient year of his Test career, as he conceded just 17.6 runs per wicket taken. In no year where he played at last 10 matches did Anderson record an average worse than 33.9 (2011).
But fans will likely remember a couple of special Ashes performances most fondly.
Having played a supporting role as England won a legendary home series in 2005, Anderson had to wait a while to experience a big moment against Australia, his first real taste of the rivalry coming as England were whitewashed 5-0 down under in 2006-07.
Twelve wickets in support of Broad (18) and Graeme Swann (14) helped England reclaim the urn on home soil in 2009, but it was in 2010-11 when he really made his mark.
England had not won an Ashes series in Australia for 24 years, while some had expressed doubts over Anderson's ability to take wickets on foreign soil, but he finished with a magnificent 24 dismissals as the tourists claimed a famous 3-1 series victory.
The urn was retained on home soil in 2013, the tone being set by a nail-biting 14-run victory in the opener, with Anderson claiming a five-for in each innings.
The opponents
Anderson took 117 wickets in his 39 matches against Australia, but India were his favourite opponents, with 149 in 39 appearances against the Men in Blue.
His historic 700th wicket came against India earlier this year, with Kuldeep Yadav his victim as he became the first paceman in history to reach that landmark.
He took 103 versus South Africa, including his 100th, which came versus Jacques Kallis back in 2008.
This week's match, meanwhile, will give him the chance to add to his 87 wickets in matches versus West Indies. He previously reached the 500 mark against them in 2017, bowling Kraigg Braithwaite to kick-start that remarkable spell of 7-42.
In terms of opposition players, India's Cheteshwar Pujara is the man to have fallen victim to Anderson most often, being dismissed by him on 12 occasions between 2014 and 2022.
Lord's: A fitting farewell
Anderson may be a Lancashire lad, but one might suggest Lord's has been his spiritual home since he made his red-ball bow on the ground 21 years ago.
He has taken 199 of his Test wickets on the ground in 28 matches there. Only Sri Lanka great Muralitharan has ever taken more at a particular venue, finishing his career with 166 in 24 matches at the R. Premadasa Stadium in Colombo.
If Anderson adds to that haul on his farewell appearance this week, there won't be a dry eye in the house.
England's decision to move on from James Anderson was made with the aim of preparing a new generation of bowlers for the next Ashes series, says Ben Stokes.
Anderson – England's all-time leading wicket-taker with 700 in 187 red-ball matches – will play his final Test against West Indies at Lord's this week.
The 41-year-old is not going out on his own terms, insisting on Monday that he is bowling as well as he ever has but saying he has been forced to "make peace" with the decision.
Gus Atkinson will make his Test debut against the Windies, while Dillon Pennington and Matthew Potts are competing to replace Anderson when the three-match series moves to Nottingham.
England's revamp of their bowling attack comes after they failed to reclaim the Ashes on home soil last year, drawing a rain-affected series 2-2.
They head down under for the next edition in 2025-26, and Stokes says they will use the intervening time to blood a new generation of talent.
"You look at how long it's been since we've played a Test match, I think it's been five months," England's red-ball captain told reporters on Tuesday.
"When you have a lot of time off, you've got a lot of time to think about how you can take the team forward.
"I've been captain for two years, so it's about progressing this team. Especially for the first two years, we've been very focused on the here and now of what we need to do.
"But for me, I want to be able to implement stuff to push this team as far as they can go, not only as a collective but also as individuals.
"If you look at where we've got to go in 18 months' time, to Australia… we want to win that urn back.
"We've got an incredibly talented and exciting group of bowlers coming through at the moment, so giving them the experience of playing international cricket, getting Test matches under their belt, will put us in a much stronger position to win the Ashes."
Anderson's farewell comes at a venue where he has taken 119 Test wickets, the second-most of any player at a particular venue after Sri Lanka's Muttiah Muralitharan at the R. Premadasa Stadium in Colombo (166).
"He's an amazing bowler. There's no doubt that he could still go out there and play Test cricket, because he is good enough," Stokes said of Anderson.
"But when we spoke with Jimmy, we laid it out with him and gave him our reasons, and he totally understood it.
"This week will all be about Jimmy, and rightly so, but I can tell you his main focus is about going out there, taking wickets and trying to win this game for England."
Wales head coach Warren Gatland said there were positives to take from his side's 25-16 defeat against Australia in the first match of their summer series.
The Dragons slipped to their eighth straight test defeat in Sydney, giving Joe Schmidt an opening victory in his first match in charge of Australia.
Tries from Taniela Tupou, Filipo Daugunu and Tom Wright set up the victory, while Wales managed a penalty try and nine points from new fly-half Ben Thomas.
Wales' winless run is now their worst losing sequence since a run of eight in 2012 and 2013.
Gatland was impressed with his team's performance, but questioned why James Botham's second-half try was disallowed for obstruction.
"I just need to get some clarity on the disallowed try in terms of the decision which was made, I'm not 100% sure," Gatland said.
"We know where we are at the moment. We're developing this team, and we're going to have to learn from these experiences.
"There were some real positives out of there in terms of what we are trying to do."
It was a 14th loss in 20 matches for Gatland in his second stint in charge after returning as head coach at the end of 2022.
"Unfortunately, resilience doesn't win games. Credit to the heart and the dig-in the boys showed - that's going to get us far," captain Dewi Lake said.
"But a young team, we've got to learn how to win games, put points on the board, and see games out.
"Credit to Australia, they put points on the board and made us chase the game.
"There were a couple of opportunities we missed and that's probably the difference on the scoreboard."
Australia will now look to wrap up the two-Test series in Melbourne next Saturday.
Data Debrief: Wales' losing rut continues
The latest loss for Wales means they drop to their lowest position in World Rugby's rankings, slipping to 11th and falling outside the top 10 for the first time.
It was also a 12th successive defeat against the Wallabies in Australia in an away losing streak that stretches back to 1969.
Vincenzo Montella praised Turkiye's soul and belief following their victory over Austria in Leipzig on Tuesday.
Merih Demiral's double ensured Montella's side progressed to the quarter-finals of a European Championships for the first time since 2008.
"No one gave up," Montella said. "Everyone gave a bit extra in terms of their soul, and for a head coach, you know that there are matches such as these and you can only win matches such as these if there is a soul within the squad.
"There's that belief, that conviction. I could go on all night, but I saw all of those attributes, and that makes me very proud."
However, the result could have been so much different if it was not for the fingertips of Mert Gunok.
With the game ticking towards the fourth and final minute of injury time, Christoph Baumgartner saw his header brilliantly tipped behind by the Besiktas goalkeeper.
The triumph was of huge significance to the Turkiye head coach, having seen his side lose 6-1 to Austria in an international friendly back in March.
"That was a horrible stain on my career," Montella said. "That was the team that I was really waiting for, to try and get this monkey off my back.
"So I respect Austria, I respect their head coach, I respect their game plan, the tactics that they implemented on the pitch. But we head coaches, just like footballers, are competitors.
"And I had that real competitive instinct deep within me because I wanted to change this result. It was only a friendly, but there's no such thing as a friendly at international level."
Montella's side face the Netherlands in Berlin this Saturday for a place in the semi-finals and set up a potential tie against England.
"We've got huge following. There's passion and the love is really visceral back home in Turkey, so I'm very happy to have handed Turks a bit of pride," he said.
"So this responsibility, this love and support, we constantly feel it. But you can only really embrace these dreams if you work hard right from day one. We've done that right from the outset. We'll really celebrate tonight, but as of tomorrow, we get down to work."
Afghanistan reached the T20 World Cup semi-finals for the first time and eliminated Australia from the tournament with a dramatic eight-run win over Bangladesh.
Afghanistan entered the final game of the Super 8s requiring a victory to join England, India and South Africa in the last four, while Bangladesh themselves could still qualify via net run-rate with a handsome win.
Both Bangladesh and Australia might have been positive regarding their prospects when Afghanistan reached just 115 in their innings.
Even Rahmanullah Gurbaz's 43 came off 55 balls as they made slow progress, before the opener handed Soumya Sarkar a simple catch off a 17th-over delivery from Rishad Hossain, who impressed with figures of 3-26.
It was the Bangladesh innings that brought the drama, though.
Repeated rain stoppages meant they were left chasing a series of revised targets, and the losses of Najmul Hossain Shanto (5) and Shakib Al Hasan on back-to-back third-over balls, the latter for a golden duck, made their chances of qualification unlikely.
However, they could still send Australia through with any victory, and opener Litton Das did his best to do so, making an unbeaten 54 as wickets tumbled around him.
With Bangladesh nine runs from victory but with just one wicket remaining in the 18th over, it was Naveen-ul-Haq who sealed Afghanistan's place in the last four.
He joined captain Rashid Khan on four dismissals by trapping Mustafizur Rahman lbw, ensuring Afghanistan will face South Africa in a historic semi-final in Trinidad on Thursday.
Data Debrief: Farooqi earns a slice of history
While Afghanistan captain Khan (4-23) and Naveen (4-26) hogged the headlines on a historic day for the team, team-mate Fazalhaq Farooqi also had an outing to remember. He trapped Tanzid Hasan lbw for the first wicket of the Bangladesh innings, his 16th wicket at this year's tournament.
That drew him level with Sri Lanka's PW Hasaranga (in 2022) for the most wickets in a single edition of the T20 World Cup, and he will look to take the record outright against South Africa later this week.
Rohit Sharma says he was "backing himself" for a big game after inspiring India to the win over Australia that saw them into the T20 World Cup semi-finals on Monday.
Sharma became India's top scorer in T20Is, with his knock of 92 taking him to 4165, leapfrogging Virat Kohli's record of 4103.
After a strong batting performance, India smothered what looked like a spirited chase by Australia to win by 24 runs and set up a meeting with England in the next round.
Sharma admitted he was confident heading into the match and backed himself to outsmart Australia’s bowlers.
That's what I have to do at the top of the order, see what the bowlers are trying to do and play accordingly," Sharma said.
"There was a strong breeze and I needed to be smart. I was backing myself to do that.
"You've got to factor in the breeze and the bowlers are smart as well. They won't bowl into the wind, and you can't be one-dimensional.
"You have to access all sides of the field. It's been a good wicket and that's something you want to do as a batter, and you want to back yourself as a batter to play those shots.
"Getting the century didn't matter. I wanted to bat with the same tempo throughout and put the bowlers under pressure.
"You want to make big scores, yes. But you also want the bowlers to wonder where the next shot is going to come from."
Meanwhile, Australia's World Cup fate is now out of their own hands.
If Afghanistan beat Bangladesh in the later game, Australia will be knocked out, though even a big Bangladesh win would knock them out on net run rate.
"Yeah, it's so disappointing," Mitchell Marsh said. "We know we still have a chance to make the semis but today, India got the better of us.
"Over 40 overs there are a lot of small moments that you can think you could have done things better. But they got off to a flyer. Rohit Sharma is very hard to stop when he's in that mode. He deserves all the credit for that.
"We knew that if we kept up with 10 an over for as long as possible, we were in the game. But India have some class bowlers, and they were too good for us today.
"Come on Bangladesh!"
India booked their place in the T20 World Cup semi-finals with an impressive 24-run victory over Australia on Monday.
Rohit Sharma was the star, hitting an excellent 92 off 41 balls to set India on their way to the win, with defeat leaving Australia in a precarious position.
Virat Kohli was out for a duck after being caught off Josh Hazlewood early on (2-14), but Sharma took control, getting his half-century off just 19 balls.
He was eventually bowled out by Mitchell Starc (2-45), but the damage was already done, as Suryakumar Yadav (31), Shivam Dube (28) and Hardik Pandya (27no) helped India to 205-5.
Australia started their innings strongly though, as Travis Head hit 76, but he was caught by Sharma after Axal Patel pulled off an incredible one-handed catch to dismiss Mitchell Marsh for 37.
The chase stalled somewhat after that, with Arshdeep Singh getting two late wickets to finish on 3-37, limiting Australia to just 181-7.
India will face England in the semi-finals, but defeat for Australia means they will be out of the tournament if Afghanistan beat Bangladesh. They could also miss out on net run rate if the result is flipped and Bangladesh get a big enough victory.
Data Debrief: Sharma on top
Sharma's knock of 92 included seven fours and eight sixes, and it means that he leapfrogs to the top of the charts.
He is now the top scorer for India in T20Is with 4165 runs, going past Virat Kohli's 4103, and is also the top-scorer in T20Is overall, moving above Babar Azam's tally of 4145.
In an unforgettable clash on Saturday night, Afghanistan pulled off a spectacular upset over Australia in the Super 8 round of the 2024 ICC T20 World Cup, despite Australia's captain Pat Cummins taking his second hat-trick of the tournament.
In the encounter at Kingstown in St Vincent and the Grenadines, Afghanistan, propelled by stellar performances from Rahmanullah Gurbaz and Gulbadin Naib, defended a modest total to secure a historic 21-run victory. Afghanistan scored 148 for 6, with Gurbaz contributing 60 runs and Ibrahim Zadran 51, while Cummins took 3-28 and Adam Zampa 2-28. Australia, in reply, managed 127 runs, with Glenn Maxwell top-scoring with 59, while Gulbadin Naib took 4-20 and Naveen-ul-Haq 3-20.
With a semi-final spot on the line, Australia faced a formidable challenge from Afghanistan’s seamers, who decimated their top order early in the innings. Australia’s Glenn Maxwell, renowned for his flamboyant stroke play, attempted to reverse Australia's fortunes with a scintillating performance. Maxwell's aggressive approach saw him unleash a series of audacious shots, including a shovelled four off Azmatullah Omarzai that left him beaming. After notching up a rapid 35-ball half-century, Maxwell signalled confidently to the Australian dressing room, appearing poised to lead his team to victory.
However, Gulbadin Naib had other plans. In a crucial moment, Naib, with the assistance of Noor Ahmad, dismissed Maxwell for 59 off 41 balls. Noor Ahmad's spectacular low catch at backward point off Naib’s delivery halted Maxwell’s momentum and left Australia struggling at 106 for 6 in the 15th over, still needing 43 runs off 32 balls. Naib's exceptional spell yielded career-best figures of 4 for 20, including the prized scalps of Maxwell, Marcus Stoinis, Tim David, and Pat Cummins, ensuring Afghanistan's first-ever victory over Australia in any format.
Earlier, Afghanistan’s innings was anchored by a solid opening partnership between Rahmanullah Gurbaz and Ibrahim Zadran. The pair forged their third century-stand of the tournament, a first in any T20I series, setting the foundation for a competitive total. Their patient approach initially saw them score just 17 runs off the first four overs, but they accelerated effectively, ending the powerplay at 40 for 0. Gurbaz and Ibrahim’s composed innings, punctuated by strategic big hits, frustrated the Australian bowlers. Despite opportunities to break the partnership, Australia’s fielding lapses allowed the Afghan openers to capitalize. Notably, Zampa and Stoinis missed crucial chances to dismiss Ibrahim, who went on to score 51.
Pat Cummins, Australia’s star pacer, showcased his prowess with a hat-trick across the 18th and 20th overs, replicating his feat from the previous match against Bangladesh. Cummins dismissed Rashid Khan, Karim Janat, and Naib in quick succession, injecting hope into the Australian camp. However, despite his efforts, Afghanistan managed to post a defendable total of 148 for 6. Afghanistan's defence began with Naveen-ul-Haq delivering a masterclass in the powerplay. He bowled Travis Head with a stunning delivery that clipped the middle stump and then dismissed Mitchell Marsh with a deceptive slower ball, leaving Australia reeling at 16 for 2 in three overs.
Maxwell’s subsequent fireworks brought Australia back into the contest, but once he fell, the task became insurmountable. Afghanistan's bowlers, led by Naib and supported by Naveen and Omarzai, maintained relentless pressure, exploiting the St Vincent pitch's turn and variable bounce. Naib’s composed bowling under pressure, including his strategic use of slower deliveries, stifled the Australian lower order. His dismissal of Cummins with a slower cutter epitomized his tactical acumen, and the Afghan fans erupted in celebration as Naveen and Omarzai cleaned up the tail.
Pat Cummins said it was "awesome to be able to join the club" after he took a hat-trick in Australia's T20 World Cup win over Bangladesh.
Cummins starred with the ball while David Warner was key with the back as Australia maintained their perfect record in the tournament to start their Super 8s campaign with a 28-run victory.
It was a rain-impacted encounter in Antigua on Thursday, with Australia ultimately prevailing on the Duckworth-Lewis-Stern method, with the weather having ended play when they were on 100-2 while chasing a target of 141.
Cummins' three wickets came across the 18th and 20th overs of Bangladesh's innings, with Towhid Hridoy (40) his final wicket.
"At the end of the over, I saw it come up on the screen and I totally forgot about [the hat-trick]," Cummins said.
"I've taken a few in junior cricket but never for Australia. It's pretty awesome to be able to join the club."
Warner then took control with the bat, striking an unbeaten 53 from 35 deliveries to ensure Australia were well on course for victory before the weather closed in.
Australia captain Mitchell Marsh added: "A really solid bowling performance, everyone chipped in.
"We've always spoken about having 15 guys who can take us deep in this World Cup and we will pick teams on conditions."
Data Debrief: Magnificent seventh
Cummins became just the seventh player to take a hat-trick of wickets at the men's T20 World Cup and the first Australia player since Brett Lee took 3-27 in 2007.
Coincidentally, Lee's hat-trick also came against Bangladesh.
David Warner believes he is the only one who has taken "a lot of flak" over Australia’s ball-tampering scandal in 2018.
Warner and then-captain Steve Smith were banned from cricket for a year after being found guilty of using sandpaper to damage the ball during a Test match against South Africa.
Cameron Bancroft, who carried out the act, was also suspended for nine months.
Warner was ruled out of any leadership positions for Australia throughout the rest of his career after it was found that he orchestrated the plan, while Smith knew about it but failed to prevent it.
The 37-year-old is set to retire from international cricket at the end of the T20 World Cup and admitted he was looking forward to not being reminded of the scandal when he does.
"One can only absorb so much," Warner told Cricket Australia. "Coming back since 2018, I've probably been the only one that's ever copped a lot of flak.
"I've always been that person who has copped it. It's great to go out knowing I'm not going to cop it anymore."
Australia are currently competing for their second T20 World Cup title, previously winning the tournament in 2021, with Warner remaining a key part of the team after returning from his ban.
While Warner admits he will probably always be associated with the ball-tampering scandal, he is hopeful his career will be viewed in a different light when he retires.
"If they're real cricket tragics, and they love cricket, they will always see me as that cricketer - someone who tried to change the game," he added.
"Someone who tried to follow in the footsteps of the openers before me, and try and score runs at a great tempo and change Test cricket."
Australia face Bangladesh in the Super 8s of the T20 World Cup on Friday.
The groups and fixtures for the Super 8 stage of the ICC Men’s T20 World Cup 2024 has been confirmed with both co-hosts West Indies and USA making it through to the second stage that will see the eight teams battle for a place in the semi-finals at the biggest cricket carnival spectacle ever.
Super 8 qualifiers are:
The eight teams will be divided into two groups:
Four of the Super 8 qualifiers have won the World Cup previously, India, England, West Indies and Australia. Super 8 matches will be played across four West Indies venues: Antigua and Barbuda (four matches), Barbados (three matches), Saint Lucia (three matches) and Saint Vincent and the Grenadines (two matches).
Each team will play every other team in its group once, with the top two sides in each group qualifying for the semi-finals, to be played in Trinidad and Tobago and Guyana on 26 and 27 June, respectively.
The Super Eight stage commences in Antigua on Wednesday 19 June with a clash between USA and South Africa at 10h30. That same evening West Indies take on old rivals, England in Saint Lucia. The two sides have a prolific cricketing history, with the co-hosts ensuring a dominant display at home against England in recent years.
Full Fixtures (Local time)
19 June
USA v South Africa, Sir Vivian Richards Stadium, Antigua (10h30)
England v West Indies, Daren Sammy Cricket Ground, St Lucia (20h30)
20 June
Afghanistan v India, Kensington Oval, Barbados (10h30)
Australia v Bangladesh, Sir Vivian Richards Stadium, Antigua (20h30)
21 June
England v South Africa, Daren Sammy Cricket Ground, St Lucia (10h30)
USA v West Indies, Kensington Oval, Barbados (20h30)
22 June
India v Bangladesh, Sir Vivian Richards Stadium, Antigua (10h30)
Afghanistan v Australia, Arnos Vale, St Vincent (20h30)
23 June
USA v England, Kensington Oval, Barbados (10h30)
West Indies v South Africa, Sir Vivian Richards Stadium, Antigua (20h30)
24 June
Australia v India, Daren Sammy Cricket Ground, St Lucia (10h30)
Afghanistan v Bangladesh, Arnos Vale, St Vincent (20h30)
Cricket West Indies (CWI) CEO Johnny Grave has emphasized the need for a more equitable distribution of finances in international cricket, particularly in the World Test Championship (WTC). In a recent interview with ESPN Cricinfo, Grave highlighted several recommendations to address the financial disparities that smaller cricket boards like CWI face.
Currently, the WTC operates on a bilateral series model, where the home board retains all broadcast revenues, and the visiting team bears the cost of travel. This model significantly disadvantages smaller cricket boards, which often face substantial travel expenses. Grave suggested that the International Cricket Council (ICC) should centralize these costs to promote a more balanced financial structure.
"We have to have a league mentality that we're all in it together as the Test playing nations,'" Grave said. "And I think the World Test Championship is a start to that. I think it's gaining some momentum. I think it can be improved. Centralize flights and accommodation within the World Test Championship and take on those costs as the costs of the league rather than placing all that burden on the participating teams as we're so negatively disadvantaged by that."
India has toured the West Indies three times in the last five years, providing a substantial financial boost to CWI, which largely depends on media-rights money from Indian and English broadcasters. However, the travel costs for such tours can be prohibitive for the West Indies.
Grave also called for a more equitable distribution of ICC revenues, pointing out that the current system disproportionately benefits larger boards like the Board of Control for Cricket in India (BCCI), which receives nearly 40 per cent of the ICC's revenue share.
"We made the point that we think there should be more equal revenue sharing of ICC distributions," Grave said. "And part of that equality was the spreading around the men's events."
He believes that hosting rights should not be monopolized by India, England, and Australia. Instead, they should be more evenly distributed among Full Member nations to ensure fair financial and competitive opportunities.
By addressing these financial inequalities and advocating for a more balanced approach to hosting world events, Grave believes that smaller cricket boards can become more sustainable and competitive on the global stage. His recommendations highlight the need for structural changes within the ICC to promote a more inclusive and equitable future for international cricket.
Mitchell Starc said Josh Hazlewood's assertion that securing England's T20 World Cup exit would benefit Australia had been blown out of proportion after Saturday's win over Scotland kept their old rivals alive.
England's rain-affected victory over Namibia on Saturday put their hopes of reaching the Super 8s in Australia's hands.
Having already sealed their own place in the next round, Australia knew a win over Scotland would keep their rivals in the tournament, while a defeat would see Scotland advance.
Aided by six dropped catches, Scotland set a target of 181 only for Travis Head (68) and Marcus Stoinis (59) to excel with the bat as Australia got over the line with two balls to spare.
Earlier this week, Hazlewood suggested Australia might be best served by ensuring they cannot meet England further down the line, speculating about the possibility of "dragging out" the match against Scotland.
Starc, however, insists those comments were made with tongue in cheek.
"I think a throwaway line has been blown right out of proportion by you lot," he said, referring to the media.
"You don't stuff around with mother cricket and trying to worry about other results. We're here to win games. It's international cricket.
"England now are on the other side of the draw, so it really doesn't make that much difference for the next three games."
Brandon McMullen – who hit a terrific 60 off 34 balls for Scotland, including two fours and six maximums – never questioned the integrity of Australia's approach.
"They're always going to put up a good fight," he said. "They're never just going to roll over and let you win.
"I'm glad that it was a close game today. We showed that we can compete at this high level against the best players in the world."
England qualified for the Super 8s at the T20 World Cup at Scotland's expense after Australia completed a dramatic chase to eliminate Richie Berrington's team in St Lucia.
England's hopes of extending their title defence were left in Australia's hands following their 41-run, rain-affected victory over Namibia in Antigua earlier on Saturday.
That result meant Scotland needed a win to progress, while Australia had already clinched their place in the next stage and had nothing to play for.
England's old enemies did not treat it like a dead rubber, though, as Travis Head (68) and Marcus Stoinis (59) starred with the bat, the latter hitting his total from just 29 balls including nine fours and two maximums.
That ensured they chased down a daunting target of 181 with just two balls to spare as Scotland gave a good account of themselves once again.
It had looked like Scotland's innings might be a short one when Michael Jones went for two after just six balls, but they recovered to reach 92-2 as Brandon McMullen made 60 off 34 deliveries.
However, his vital wicket fell when he got a thick outside edge on Adam Zampa's delivery, Mitchell Starc diving to complete a clean catch.
Skipper Berrington hit an unbeaten 42 but Scotland's total would prove to be insufficient, some expensive bowling costing them as even Safyaan Sharif's two wickets came at a cost of 44 runs.
While Scotland have now fallen at the first hurdle on five of their six T20 World Cup appearances, England live to fight another day.
The 2022 victors will now face both co-hosts, the United States and West Indies, as well as South Africa, in Group 2 at the Super-8 stage.
Data Debrief: Thrill of the chase for Australia
Earlier this week, England fans were put on edge when Josh Hazlewood suggested it might be in Australia's "best interests" to take it easy against Scotland and send their old rivals home.
Six dropped catches from the Australian fielders might have had England fearing the worst as Scotland reached 180-5, but the Aussie batters can never be ruled out.
Their strike rate of 160.2 in the final five overs when chasing at the T20 World Cup is the second highest of any team, behind only West Indies (163.8).
England's hopes of making it to the Super 8s are still alive after a 41-run victory on DLS over Namibia on Saturday.
The rain heavily delayed the start in Antigua, reducing the match to a 10-over-a-side game.
Despite the must-win nature of the match, England's openers got off to a slow start with Jos Buttler bowled for a duck while Phil Salt was dismissed for just 11.
Harry Brook was the star with 47 not out, with Jonny Bairstow's 31 adding to their cushion, though Ruben Trumpelmann finished strongly for Namibia with a 2-31.
With England finishing on 122-5, Namibia were set a target of 127 on DLS, and their chase got off to a steady start, but by the halfway point, Namibia still needed 92 runs from 30 balls.
Shortly after, Niko Davin retired with 18, and two big catches by Brook took out Michael van Lingen (33) and David Wiese (27) ensured England eased to victory.
Now, England need to hope that Australia beat Scotland in their Group B match, otherwise, the holders will be going out in the group stage.
Data Debrief: England's hopes stay alive
Brook was the standout performer for England on both sides today, stalling Nambia's admittedly slow chase, while contributing the most to their run chase with a knock including four fours and two sixes.
It is his largest run total at the World Cup so far, more than doubling his tally from their defeat to Australia (20).
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