Watch Fox Cricket on Channel 501 from 6:30 pm as Australia take on India in a Twenty20 international.
Australia can’t afford to bat with India for too long in the glory of their one-day international success – both in the first match of three Twenty20 matches on Friday night (7.10 AEDT off the first ball). The parties are facing off, the hosts are waiting for the series to end. Back to the top of the format rankings.
Australia slipped to second place in the ICC T20I rankings on Tuesday after England’s 3-0 series win over South Africa.
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Match Center: Australia vs India Live Scoreboard, Video Highlights and Comments
To claim the top spot, Australia must win the series against India next week. On the contrary, Aaron Finch’s team can wait if he wins the hosts a surprise white.
Australia beat India 2-0 in the last bilateral T20 series between the two sides, but the visitors are confident of going to the opener at the Manuka Oval.
After this loss to Australia in 2018-19-19, the Indians have not tasted defeat in the series in the format, they have drawn five of their last six campaigns against South Africa. Beyond its last 10 T20I, it has only lost once.
After losing the series to Australia, the Indian team is proud of the top two T20I batsmen – KL Rahul (2 582 at 2 58.50) and Virat Kohli (1 1 53.1). At 1 531) – and you can expect both to play a bigger role.
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Excitement at the 21-year-old start
1:55
By comparison, the Australian team has only one – the injured David Warner (473 at 94.60).
Warner’s absence cannot be underestimated for Australia. Regardless of the format, Australia’s success in T20 cricket rests with its openers.
Finch (3 443 at the 44. period) is the country’s next highest run-scorer during the above period, but his third-ranked Steve Smith (281 at 46.83) is the only one to score. There is another Australian who has more. 100 runs at that time.
This does not mean that Australia cannot win without Warner. In fact, it won its most recent Twenty20 match against England without a left hand, with Matthew Wade playing in his place.
Warner will not be the only absentee for Australia, Pat Cummins has rested for the series. Injury cloud hangs over Marcus Stoinis but hosts Michelle Starc are expected to adapt.
Out of form, Starc, who missed the third ODI against India, needs three wickets to equal the Australian T20 record, currently held by Shane Watson. Starc has taken 45 wickets in just 34 Twenty20 internationals, while Watson has finished in 48 of 58 matches.
It would not be a big surprise if Josh Hazlewood was given a break after playing all three ODIs, although Australia may not need to bounce back after Wednesday’s defeat.
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FROM v IND: ODI 3 Highlights
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India, meanwhile, are not worried about injuries but may consider making changes in the run-up to the upcoming Test series.
Jasprat Bumrah played all three ODIs and did well for runs till the end of the series, but India will be wary of beating him.
Mohammad Shami was ruled out of the third ODI but could still be tempted to keep him in the cotton wool before the Border-Gavaskar Trophy.
Friday night’s match Australia will wear its homegrown shirt for the first time this summer. The shirt will be worn for the entire T20 series.
Australia Possible XI: Aaron Finch (C), Matthew Wade (WK), Steve Smith, Moises Henriques, Cameron Green, Glenn Maxwell, Ashton Agar, Sean Abbott, Michelle Stark, Josh Hazlewood, Adam Jampa
India Possible XI: Shikhar Dhawan, KL Rahul (WK), Virat Kohli (C), Shreyas Aiyar, Manish Pandey, Hardik Pandya, Ravindra Jadeja, Mohammad Shami, T. Natarajan, Jasp Prat Bumrah, Yuvendra Chahal
