West Indies Vs Australia, Match Preview
West Indies have come to their best and are giving Australia a nice reality check. They scraped their way to win in the first game but dominated the next two to seal the series. Out-of-form players like Chris Gayle have a comeback to form, and with Pollard still on the bench, the West Indies continue to look more formidable.
West Indies have another five T20Is against Pakistan and are in a great position ahead of the World Cup. They have a settled line-up, and the bench looks powerful, too, giving the West Indies many options.
The Australian side isn’t the strongest coming to the series. A lot of players opted out, giving Aaron Finch a very new side. The middle-order has been non-existent, and Australia is still looking for answers at the end of the innings.
The bowling has options and has done well in parts but couldn’t contain an explosive line-up. One positive for Australia is the performance of Mitchell Starc in the third T20. He took a wicket and only conceded fifteen runs in an economical spell. His form has been in question throughout the year, and the spell would do wonders to his confidence.
West Indies Vs Australia, Team News
Ben McDermott and Ashton Agar missed the third game with injuries. Their status remains unknown, and with the series decided, Australia may look to rotate their squad. The following two games are crucial for the middle-order as they seal the vacant spots ahead of the World Cup. Dan Christian, in particular, will be desperate for a good performance. At 38, he came in to solve the finishing issues but hasn’t done too much, and time may be running out for the finisher.
West Indies will also test their bench as they finalize their side for the World Cup. They have a strong bench and have been rotating their players for a while. Obed McCoy only bowled one over in the third game and could be out with an injury. Fidel Edwards is already out of the side, and his absence may give Oshane Thomas a chance. West Indies will be keen to play Evin Lewis after the opener missed the third T20.
West Indies Vs, Australia, Predicted XIs
West Indies (possible) 1 Lendl Simmons, 2 Andre Fletcher/Evin Lewis, 3 Chris Gayle, 4 Shimron Hetmyer, 5 Dwayne Bravo, 6 Andre Russell, 7 Nicholas Pooran (capt & wk), 8 Fabian Allen, 9 Hayden Walsh Jr, 10 Obed McCoy/Oshane Thomas, 11 Sheldon Cottrell
Australia (possible) 1 Aaron Finch, 2 Matthew Wade (wk), 3 Mitchell Marsh, 4 Alex Carey, 5 Moises Henriques, 6 Ashton Turner, 7 Dan Christian, 8 Mitchell Starc, 9 Riley Meredith, 10 Adam Zampa, 11 Josh Hazlewood
West Indies Vs Australia, Players to Watch out for
Nicholas Pooran
Nicholas Pooran has stepped up brilliantly as the stand-in skipper and has found his batting form as well. The added responsibility helped him in the third game as he saw the team through the chase with a steady knock. He has looked after the team well and is being touted as a potential captain for West Indies in the future.
Matthew Wade
As an opener, Matthew Wade has done well since the T20 series against India. He gave Australia strong starts but hasn’t converted the starts to a big score yet. With a weak middle-order, the role of the opener makes a massive difference. Australia’s finishing issues could be solved if Wade manages to carry his innings into the middle overs.
West Indies Vs Australia, Pitch Report
With West Indies finding ways to score big runs and Australia struggling, a proper pitch determination is difficult. The ground has seen some big sixes, and West Indies have managed to chase their totals with five overs to spare. With decent conditions for batting, chasing the target will be a better option.
