It’s great to be back in Perth. I spent two years here with the Perth Scorchers, and to have the opportunity of playing at the Perth Stadium for our opening World Cup game will be very special.
I feel in a great place after my ankle injury. I have worked tirelessly with England physio Craig de Weymarn to get myself in a position to be fit, and after some intense rehab, I’m ready to play.
For the past couple of months, I have been icing my ankle daily to control the swelling and improve my movement and flexibility. Having come through the warm-up in Brisbane against Pakistan last Monday, I am ready for the intensity of a world tournament.
The tour of Australia so far has been very chilled. It helps that we are playing some excellent cricket, and just as important, we have the freedom to explore and get out of the hotel compared to the lockdown and isolation of COVID.
Australia is a fun place, and there is plenty to do and explore. I have managed to catch up with some mates in Perth, whom I haven’t seen for a few years and visited some of the city’s great coffee shops and got out to Scarborough Beach for a couple of afternoons, which is about a 30-minute drive from the city and has some great surf beaches.
Our first game on Saturday is against Afghanistan. We know it will be a challenging game, and they have a team full of match-winners. Their form recently in this format has been excellent and they deserve to be here, having qualified outright amongst the best eight teams in the world.
At this level, there are no secrets, and every player is aware of each other's strengths and weaknesses – we have a good idea of how Afghanistan will play, and they will know all about us. That’s the beauty of franchise cricket.
Take Afghanistan spinner Rashid Khan, he is a good pal, and we all know what he can do to damage a team with his variations. He is the best spinner in the world in this format. He will be a handful. We have our own spin wizard Adil Rashid and a match for any player in this competition. We have prepared well and are ready for what Afghanistan will throw at us.
The stadium and pitch in Perth will provide thrilling cricket. The new stadium is one of the best and in my top three. With a decent crowd in, it provides an electric atmosphere.
The location is idyllic on the banks of the Swan River, and they have done a great job landscaping this imposing venue with parkland and trail tracks. It is a privilege to be here.
As for the pitch, it will be quick and should have good carry and bounce. The beauty is that it will have something in it for the quicks, will come on for the spinners, and the batters should be able to play through the ball with the knowledge and confidence to clear the ropes. It should be a thrilling watch for the fans.
I can’t wait to start and hope we get our campaign off with a win.
Tune in and enjoy!
Liam Livingstone