In the Group B match of the 2024 ICC T20 Cricket World Cup, fierce rivals Australia and England are gearing up to face off at Kensington Oval in Barbados. Australia currently leads the group with two points, while England has one point to their name.
What has happened so far?
The Mitchell Marsh-led side won their opening warm-up fixture of the tournament against Namibia in fashion as the Kangaroos chased down the target with 10 overs to spare. Against West Indies, Australia gave it their all but fell 35 runs short in a run-chase of 258 runs with Nicholas Pooran and Sherfane Rutherford shining for the Caribbean side.
Australia secured a victory against Oman in their tournament opener at Bridgetown. They set a target of 164 runs, losing five wickets in the process. Despite a shaky start with Travis Head, Mitchell Marsh, and Glenn Maxwell departing early, David Warner and Marcus Stoinis stepped up, scoring half-centuries to push Australia past the 160-run mark.
Skillfully defending their score, they restricted Oman to 125 runs, clinching the win by a margin of 39 runs. Stoinis shone with the ball as well, grabbing three wickets, while Adam Zampa, Mitchell Starc, and Nathan Ellis contributed with two wickets each.
In contrast, England decided to skip the warm-up matches and defeated Pakistan 2-0 at home before facing a stop-and-start match in their opening fixture against Scotland. England opted to let Scotland bat first, but persistent rain interrupted the game repeatedly.
The rain halted for a while allowing Scotland to set a target of 109 runs after applying the D/L Method but the rain returned with a vengeance and it persisted beyond the stipulated cut-off time forcing the match to be declared abandoned.
Head to Head Record
In the history of T20I cricket, England and Australia have clashed 23 times, consistently engaging in closely fought battles. Out of these encounters, Australia has emerged victorious in ten games, while England boasts 11 wins while two matches ended without a result.
Notably, the last two scheduled meetings between these rivals, one in a bilateral series and the other in the 2022 ICC T20 World Cup, have ended with “No Result”.
Key Players
Marcus Stoinis put in a brilliant all-round performance against Oman in T20 World Cup 2024
Marcus Stoinis (Australia): Ever since the IPL’s final stages, Marcus Stoinis has been unstoppable, and he’s continued his stellar performance in the ICC World Cup. In the tournament’s opening match against Oman, he showcased his all-round brilliance.
Stoinis not only rescued the team from a batting collapse with a commanding half-century but also made a significant impact with the ball, claiming three wickets to derail Oman’s chase. With the bat, he hit 67 runs off 36 deliveries, featuring six powerful sixes.
Phil Salt (England): Phil Salt made a remarkable impact after joining the IPL as a substitute for Kolkata Knight Riders. In the 2024 edition of the cash-rich league, he played 12 matches, amassing 435 runs at a blistering strike rate of 182.01 and an impressive average of 39.55 scoring four half-centuries during the season.
Even in the two matches against Pakistan following the IPL, he continued his fine form, scoring 54 runs off 33 deliveries at a strike rate of 163 and an average of 27. With his explosive batting, Salt is poised to provide England with a dynamic start in the upcoming matches.
Predicted XIs
Australia: David Warner, Travis Head, Mitchell Marsh ©, Glenn Maxwell, Marcus Stoinis, Matthew Wade (wk), Tim David, Pat Cummins, Mitchell Starc, Adam Zampa, Nathan Ellis
England: Jos Buttler © (wk), Phil Salt, Will Jacks, Jonny Bairstow, Harry Brook, Moeen Ali, Liam Livingstone, Chris Jordan, Jofra Archer, Mark Wood, Adil Rashid
Prediction
Australia secured a convincing victory in their maiden 2024 ICC T20 World Cup match setting a strong tone for their campaign. Meanwhile, England, eager to make up for lost opportunities due to a recent washout, are poised to fight hard for points.
The upcoming match at Kensington Oval promises to be tightly contested, with Australia likely to emerge as the victors in a closely fought battle against England.