West Indies vs Australia 2021, 1st T20I: Australia's Predicted XI

Australia make a comeback to competitive cricket after a four-month hiatus. They are on the road ahead of the T20 World Cup with limited-overs series against West Indies followed by Bangladesh. Despite the regulars, the Australian cricket board has announced a strong squad with many T20 specialists. The five-match T20I series start with the first match in St Lucia on July 10.

Australian skipper white-ball skipper Aaron Finch spoke about the importance of these two series in the build-up to the T20 World Cup. He said that the players should use this opportunity to cement their spots for the T20 World Cup squad. In this article, we predict Australia’s XI for the opening T20I against West Indies.

West Indies vs Australia, 1st T20I: Australia’s Predicted XI

Aaron Finch

Finch is the most experienced player in the Australian T20I squad. he has been leading the side which is now fourth in the ICC rankings. Finch has an experience of 71 T20Is and is among the highest scorers in the format.

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Matthew Wade

Wade will open the batting alongside Finch. Wade is a gutsy cricketer and can score quickly at the top. Wade can also be used as a floater in the batting line-up if the management thinks so. He can score quickly which is his biggest advantage as a batsman.

Moises Henriques

In the absence of Steve Smith, Moises Henriques can bat at number three. He has played 14 T20Is for his side and has wealth of experience playing T20 cricket all over the world. His experience in the middle-order can come in handy for his side.

Dan Christian

The veteran Australian all-rounder has been recalled into the side. Aging close to 40, he was scheduled to play the Vitality Blast when he got a call about his inclusion in the T20I squad. Like Henriques, Christian has played T20 cricket all across the globe and in different T20 leagues. He will use this opportunity to book a berth for the T20 World Cup squad.

Alex Carey

Carey can slot in at number five in the line-up. He is seen among the best in recent times in the Australian cricket circle. Along with being a good wicketkeeper, he is handy with the bat too in the lower-middle order. It will be interesting to see his role in this side minus the regulars.

Ashton Turner

Turner is another cricketer who has wealth of experience playing T20 cricket. He has a nice opportunity in the series to get some runs and make a case for his inclusion in the T20 World Cup squad. This is how the top six might look like in the first T20I.

Mitchell Marsh

Marsh has been prone to injuries in recent times. He pulled out of the IPL2021 due to an ankle injury and since then has been out of cricket. This is a comeback of sorts for him and he would like to make use of this opportunity.

Mitchell Starc

In his decade-long career for Australia, Starc has played only 34 T20Is. In the absence of Pat Cummins, he is the leader of the bowling attack. He should play all the five T20Is if he is looking for a place in his side’s World T20 squad.

Josh Hazlewood

The ever-consistent Hazlewood is a part of the squad that has been selected as well. He is a Test specialist and has played just nine T20Is for his side. He should be given a chance in the first T20I given the variety of the Aussie attack.

Adam Zampa

Zampa is a T20I specialist for Australia. He is a wicket-taking option for his skipper and he bowls tight spells as well. He often bowls the death overs as well in the BBL. Zampa is one of the two spinners in the line-up.

Mitchell Swepson

Swepson completes the XI Australia might look to field in the first T20I against West Indies. He is still relatively new in international cricket and has played just 4 T20Is for his side. He is the second spinner in the line-up.

Also Read: West Indies vs Australia 2021: Complete Schedule, Venues, Distribution Of Points, Complete Squads, And Live Streaming Details