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It’s been all West Indies in this T20I series. Except for the first game where Australia were in the driver’s seat and found a way to lose, West Indies have dominated. With bat or ball, the hosts have been a lot more consistent than they were in the series against South Africa and have shown why they are still one of the most dangerous T20 sides in the world.
West Indies have been without skipper Kieron Pollard and opening batsman Evin Lewis due to niggles. Yet, they have produced clinical performances. While the batting has been slightly up and down, the bowling has stood up and delivered. The likes of Obed McCoy, Dwayne Bravo and the spin twins Fabien Allen and Hayden Walsh Jr have been supremely consistent. As far as the batting is concerned, Chris Gayle finally got some runs in the last game and looked in good touch.
Lendl Simmons has been in decent form at the top while the middle-order has chipped in well. Hence, West Indies have been good all-round, and they’ll want to fine-tune a bit more ahead of the all-important T20 World Cup later this year.
Meanwhile, Australia have now lost four successive bilateral T20I series. Their T20I XI has constantly been chopped and changed. In the last year, they have played 14 T20Is and used as many as 26 players. The first-choice players have been in and out due to rest, injuries and unavailability. Furthermore, it is the batting that has really struggled. Despite being in comfortable and commanding positions during run-chases, the Aussies have managed to choke and bottle it up. The bowling has been inconsistent as well.
Hence, Australia need to pick themselves up and bounce back desperately. The series is already lost, but with the T20 World Cup later this year, they will want to get some confidence going and find the right balance.
Key Players
Obed McCoy has been in top form with the ball for the West Indies this year. He has featured in 10 T20Is in 2021, and he has returned with 18 wickets, the most for any bowler around the world. He averages 14.66 and is striking once every two overs. In addition to this, the left-arm pacer has kept things tight and has an economy rate of just 7.13. Moreover, he’s been consistent in every phase of the game. In fact, between overs 12-20, he has picked up 12 wickets at an economy rate of 6.52 in T20Is this year. Thus, McCoy will continue to be the key for West Indies with the ball.
Lendl Simmons is batting well and has got some good starts this year in T20I cricket. He has amassed 217 runs at an average of 24.11 and a strike-rate of 123.29 in T20Is in 2021. He has been dismissed under 15 just once. However, he hasn’t been able to record a single half-century, and his highest score is 47. He’s had seven scores between 15-30. Simmons has looked good almost every time he’s batted, but he just hasn’t kicked on and got that big score. With Evin Lewis out with illness, Simmons’s role at the top is crucial as Andre Fletcher hasn’t really fired and Chris Gayle has been a touch inconsistent.
Mitchell Marsh has been Australia’s best player in this ongoing T20I series. The seam-bowling all-rounder scored a couple of half-centuries in the first two games and has scored 114 runs in three innings while striking at 134.11. Batting at No. 3, Marsh has looked comfortable and anchored the innings well and at a fair clip. However, he hasn’t got a lot of support from the other end. Marsh has been economical (7.42) with the ball and has taken three wickets from the seven overs that he has bowled in this series. Thus, the Western Australian all-rounder will be crucial for Australia with both bat and ball as they look to salvage some pride and gain some wins in these last two games.
Matthew Wade’s scores in this series read – 33, 0 and 23. The left-handed wicket-keeper seems to be striking the ball well and has given Australia some brisk starts at the top of the order. However, he hasn’t kicked on and got those big scores. The same was the case in New Zealand, where he scored 99 runs in five innings. With Finch inconsistent and struggling, it’s vital for Wade to continue going for the big shots in the powerplay. Australia have constantly struggled with the bat and it is important for Wade to get some substantial scores and bat long.
Prediction
West Indies are well ahead on the head to head record tally in T20I cricket. They have nine wins while Australia have just five. Moreover, West Indies are on a six-match winning streak in T20Is against Australia. The latter last won a T20I game against West Indies way back in 2012.
Australia have a 7-6 record in the Caribbean in T20Is. In addition to this, Australia just haven’t got going in this series. Their batting has flopped big time while the bowling has continued to be inconsistent. The West Indies line-up is a powerful one, and despite missing a few key players, they have already won the series 3-0 with two games to go. Thus, West Indies will start as favourites but don’t count Australia out and expect them to bounce back decently.
