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

Despite fielding a full-strength squad for the five-match T20I series against South Africa, West Indies lost the series 3-2. They lost the decider in Grenada by 25 runs against a Protean side that was below par. However, the African nation managed to surprise the current World T20 champions and that too in their own backyard.

Now inside five days, West Indies face an Australian squad without many of its regular players in a five-match T20I series.  The first T20I will be played in St Lucia on Sunday. Heading into this series, the Windies are eight in the ICC T20I rankings while the Aussies are fourth.

This series is another opportunity for West Indies to fine-tune their World T20 preparations with all their t20 superstars available. In this article, we look at the Windies’ predicted Xi for the first T20I against Australia.

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

Lendl Simmons

Simmons is a part of the West Indies squad for the T20Is against Australia and will continue to open the innings. He scored 72 runs in three games in played in the series against South Africa scoring just three in the final. He would like to come up with a better performance against the Aussies.

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

Evin Lewis

Lewis’s 52 in the decider against South Africa went in vain as the Proteas won the decider and the series. He played all five games and scored the most runs for West Indies (178) with two fifty-plus scores. His side would hope that he continues his form against Australia.

Chris Gayle

Gayle did not have a series to remember against South Africa. He scored 56 runs in the four games he played against South Africa. He likes playing against the Aussies and has an average of almost 43. In his previous 8 games against the side, he has scored 299 runs against them. He will add value and experience to this Windies batting line-up.

Shimron Hetmyer

Hetmyer gets another chance after failing to score against South Africa. Hetmyer and Nicholas Pooran are the future of West Indies cricket and both are given backing by the management at the moment. He will bat at number four.

Kieron Pollard

Pollard will bat at number five in the line-up. He scored just 66 runs in the five matches against South Africa. Against Australia, he has another chance to better his recent form. He has played 10 games against the Aussies with a fifty-plus score to his name. He will continue leading the side in the series as well.

Andre Russell

Russell scored just 62 runs with the bat and picked up four wickets in the series against South Africa. He has been retained for the Australia series and has another five matches to produce something spectacular. In the decider against the Proteas, he scored a first-ball duck.

Nicholas Pooran

Pooran will bat at number seven which is the wicketkeeper’s position. He scored in bits and pieces against his previous series against the Proteas. He is a much better player than those stats suggest. It’s time that he starts delivering consistently for his national side.

Dwayne Bravo

Bravo will bat at number seven in the line-up. However, he played the series as a specialist bowler for his side. Off late Bravo has bowled more than he has batted for his side. He was the highest wicket-taker in the series against South Africa with 10 scalps.

Jason Holder

Holder batting at number nine suggests the depth in the current Windies squad. They have all it to pull of another World T20 title if all of their T20 superstars including Holder click together.

Akeal Hosein

Hosein played the decider against South Africa and bowled a wicketless spell of two overs for 24 runs. He would like to get back amongst the wickets against Australia.

Hayden Walsh Junior

 

Walsh culminates the strongest possible XI, West Indies can look to field in the T20I series opener against Australia. He was added to the squad before the series. Walsh has played 17 T20Is for his national team so far.

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