The defending T20I Champions will be out fighting for their pride yet again as they host Australia. Aaron Finch and co. will have to vary of West Indies who can be unpredictable on their day.
The two will be involved in a 5-match T20I series followed by a three-match ODI series. West Indies were very impressive against the Proteas, South Africa in their last series but couldn't end the tournament well, losing in the decider.
The West Indies bowling looks solid but consistency has been a huge concern for the batting department. On the other side, the visitors don't arrive with the best they have, but they surely possess a threat.
"As a team, we are willing to work with these youngsters because we know in the future what they can do- Kieron Pollard
We will see some new faces, faces that could perform brilliantly on the tour and turn themselves into regular members of the squad.
Will the defending champions take hold of this series? Or will Australia vanquish them as many people expect?
Match Toss Time: July 9, 7:00 pm Local (July 10, 4:30 IST)
Match Start Time: July 9, 7:30 pm Local (July 10, 5:00 IST)
Match Venue: Gros Islet, St. Lucia
Head to Head
Matches Played: 11, West Indies: 6, Australia: 5
Weather Conditions
The temperature is anticipated to be around the 25-degrees mark, while we can expect humidity as well. Precipitation won't be felt, but wind speed is expected to be around 25-27 km/hrs.
Pitch Report
The pitch is a good one for bowlers as well as batsmen. The fast bowlers will enjoy opening the innings as the bowl is expected to swing well. However, the spinners will have to work for the wickets. The batsman will have to avoid throwing their wickets early and try to build an innings. Anything around the 175-mark would be competitive.
Team News
The hosts will be starting with their strongest lineup to get the advantage early on in the series. A win here could see some experiments in the next few T20s.
For Australia, not many changes are expected from their preferred T20 combination. They will go ahead with a balanced side that is capable to bat first or chase the total as well. the inclusion of the experienced Dan Christian will certainly boost the confidence of the Aussie side and his combination with Mitchell Starc will provide the much-required experience to the side.
Probable Playing XI
West Indies (WI): Evin Lewis, Lendl Simmons, Chris Gayle, Shimron Hetmyer, Andre Russell, Nicholas Pooran (wk), Kieron Pollard (c), Jason Holder /Akeal Hosein, Dwayne Bravo, Obed McCoy, Fidel Edwards
Australia (AUS): Aaron Finch (c), Josh Philippe, Matthew Wade (wk), Dan Christian, Mitchell Marsh, Alex Carey, Ashton Agar, Mitchell Starc, Adam Zampa, Andrew Tye / Riley Meredith, Josh Hazlewood
Must Picks
Evin Lewis is a must-pick for the game as he was the highest scorer for the hosts in their last series. Aaron Finch is a reliable option as well, considering his experience and explosive batting at the top.
Andre Russell didn't have the best of games against the Proteas and he would want to make up for it. Mitchell Starc is also an option you cannot miss out on as his bowling at the death can give you so many wickets. The Windies skipper- Kieron Pollard, with his incredible striking ability and can also bring value to your fantasy lineup.
Interesting facts
* Evin Lewis is just 33 runs away from 1200 T20I runs. He has 1167 runs in just 40 T20I matches.
* Kieron Pollard is only 12 wickets away from 50 T20I wickets. Will he achieve this feat in this series?
* Mitchell Starc has featured in 35 T20Is for Australia and is just three wickets away from 50 T20I wickets. Will he reach a ton of wickets by the end of his career?
WI vs AUS Fantasy Team
Captain and Vice-captain Picks
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