Australia v West Indies live: Score, prediction and statistics.

Australia will look to secure a semi-final spot in the T20 World Cup with a win against the West Indies.

Australia win by eight wickets

As good as a bye, bye for South Africa that. Australia, led by a ruthless David Warner and a fired up Mitchell Marsh, has made a mockery of this target. It will take quite something for South Africa to not just beat England, but beat them big. Huge game coming up tonight. Head over to our Eng v SA live blog to follow updates from the game. The toss coming up shortly.

Update: Oh, now Gayle gets a wicket and sends back Marsh and he is absolutely chuffed – goes over to give Marsh a huge hug. Some scenes here as the West Indies go into party mode.

West Indies having some fun now

Dwayne Bravo finished wicketless in his final innings. Chris Gayle, with caps and shades, now strolling up to bowl to a smiling David Warner. This has turned into an exhibition game, rather a farewell party for the West Indies stars. Gayle just rushed over to dig something out of Warner’s pocket (sandpaper?). All fun and frolic. Definitely not the vibes you’d expect from a T20 World Cup fixture. The only ones truly suffering are in Sharjah, locked up in gloom in their dressing room as they prepare for a game against England.

Over 14: Aus 133-1 – Fifty for Mitchell Marsh

How good has he been at No.3 for Australia? No Aussie to bat at No.3 at least ten times has a better batting average than Mitchell Marsh. The strike-rate isn’t outstanding (just above 130), but bear in mind the pitches he batted on (West Indies, Bangladesh and UAE). Here, on a flat wicket, against a weak attack, Marsh really kicked on.

Over 12: Aus 114-1 – What is with this Aussie team?

They were nearly written off before the tournament after their dismal showing in West Indies and Bangladesh. True, Australia didn’t have a full-strength squad for those tours, but it is quite bizarre seeing them come to the T20 World Cup and boss it. I mean, it is after all Australia and World Cups and they do manage to find a way, but this team is far from what an ideal T20 unit would be like. A combination of ruthless bowling and timely batting performances will most likely lead them into a semi-final game against Pakistan which they are well-placed to dominate with their bowling again. Wow, not sure how many saw this coming from the Aussies.

Over 10: Aus 98-1 – This Aussie charge will really worry the Proteas

Mitchell Marsh has come in and toyed with the West Indies attack to strike at nearly 200. Australia are cruising to their target here, and it will really worry the Proteas, who face England later tonight. As though beating the favourites wasn’t pressure enough, South Africa will be chasing a big net run rate gain going by how Australia are likely to finish this match off. Not for the first time, Australia prove to be South Africa’s nemesis in these ICC tournaments.

Over 9: Aus 82-1 – Fifty for David Warner in 29 balls

If you haven’t switched the TV on yet, now might be a good time if you are a David Warner fan. He has been so good to watch today, going through his motions with ease, and bulldozing his way through the West Indies attack. This is the Warner the world had gotten used to.

Over 6: Aus 53-1 – Forget everything else, this is peak Warner

The strong pull, the audacious flick, the authoritative cut shot… everything’s back from David Warner, and this is a ridiculously good innings so far. He has raced off the blocks here, which is an uncommon feature of his batting of late. Hopefully he can carry on get a big one to shut down critics.

Update: And it works! Finch has chopped one from Hosein back onto his stumps.

Over 3: Aus 33-0 – Alert! David Warner is on fire

We haven’t heard that one in a while, but it looks like Warner is back going by that absolute blinder of a six he hit off Jason Holder to cap off a stunning 15-run over. Two fours and a six in that. Right then, first over of pace backfires. What has Pollard got up his sleeve? More spin likely.

Over 2: Aus 16-0 – Spin from both ends

Interesting tactic against Warner and Finch first up from the West Indies. Two spinners, Akeal Hosein and Roston Chase (left-arm orthodox and off-spinner) from either end. From his Trinbago Knight Riders’ stint, we know Pollard is a master when it comes to match-ups and on-field tactics. Are West Indies looking to deny Warner and Finch pace and then attack the middle-order with pace? Might not be a bad tactic despite Chase being expensive first up.

We are back and some fun already. Kieron Pollard in at short leg with a helmet with Akeal Hosein with the new ball. David Warner sports a grin…

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

End of innings: WI – 157-7 – A decent total on board

This is not a bad total to be fair. Only one team has managed to put up a bigger total against Australia this T20 World Cup (Sri Lanka). We saw how Australia are vulnerable if they lose early wickets in the match against South Africa. This is a better surface than that, so hyping up West Indies’ chances could just be the fan in me who loves the golden generation of West Indies’ T20 players. We did get two Russell sixes at the end to satiate our thirst for some proper Caribbean calypso. That could well be the final moment West Indies savour in this tournament unless their bowlers can do something special.

Over 18: WI 136-6 – A final hurrah for Dwayne Bravo

Those lofted drives over cover – one of them was on display today – will no longer be there on the international stage. Dwayne Bravo has signed off with the bat from his international career with that knock. A huge ovation for him from the fans.

West Indies need runs still. Andre Russell has come in to join Kieron Pollard. How many can these two add?

Over 17: WI 123-5 – Pollard taking off

Cummins mixed up his lengths and pace in that over, but Pollard knows it is time to tee off and he has done just that, helped by a top edge for six and a four off a full toss. But that has set off West Indies’ death overs in style. Still three overs to go and a respectable total isn’t beyond them yet.

Over 15: WI 99-5 – The old guards and no Russell yet

Very interesting that Andre Russell didn’t come in at the fall of the previous wicket. Do West Indies think Bravo’s the better batter? Or is this Bravo getting a final outing with the bat? Russell, and arguably Holder, should have come in ahead of Bravo I think. A lot riding on Pollard for West Indies to put up a decent total here.

Update: It’s Hazlewood again and Australia get another breakthrough with Shimron Hetmyer gloving a short ball through to the wicketkeeper. This is an utterly dominant display from Australia so far.

Over 12: WI 87-4 – Crucial stand for West Indies

This pair of Kieron Pollard and Shimron Hetmyer is crucial for West Indies here. Andre Russell is not in the best of form, Dwayne Bravo is no longer the batter he used to be. West Indies need Pollard and Hetmyer to forge a stand here. Zampa let Pollard off the hook with a tough return catch that was shelled after a couple of juggles. Can he capitalise? This tournament really needs a completely berserk knock from a West Indian, or is it just me?

Over 9.3: WI 70-4 – And Zampa strikes

How good has Adam Zampa been this tournament? With Wanindu Hasaranga and Ish Sodhi hogging headlines, Zampa’s excellent returns in the middle overs have gone unheralded. 11 wickets at an economy rate of less than six is incredible returns for the middle overs phase.

Most wickets in the 7-16 overs phase in the 2021 T20 World Cup

Adam Zampa: 10

Shakib Al Hasan: 7

Ish Sodhi: 7

First time for Mitchell Marsh

There’s a reason Mitchell Marsh is bowling here for the first time in this T20 World Cup. He was Australia’s leading wicket-taker with eight wickets in the bilateral T20Is against Windies earlier this year. Five of those were left-handers with Hetmyer and Lewis victims one time apiece.

Over 6: WI 50-3 – Australia sneak in a Maxwell over

Australia reaping the rewards of those early wickets and gets away with bowling Maxwell in the last over of powerplay, where batters are usually aggressive and looking for boundaries. Considering Evin Lewis and Shimron Hetmyer were in the middle, it was a brave call to bring in Maxwell for the sixth over, despite the obvious match-up advantage, but Australia earned it and played their cards well there. Hetmyer was outrageous last game against Sri Lanka from a nearly similar position. Can he do it again today?

21 wickets at an economy rate of 6.7 in the powerplay in all T20s for Hazlewood since 2020. 

Over 3.3: WI 35-3 – Strong comeback from Hazlewood

And just like that West Indies are three down with some proper Test match-style bowling. Hazlewood came back in and just stuck to his lengths. Pooran was dismantled by the shorter ball and Roston Chase, who prefers the touch game, cleaned up by a full one angling into him. I wondered here earlier in the tournament if boring, old-fashioned Australia can win the T20 game, and that’s exactly what they have been doing here so far.

Over 2.2: WI 30-1 – Cummins comes in, gets smashed, gets his revenge

Cummins came in for the third over and Gayle smashed him over mid-on for a six to start proceedings. The Universe Boss in fifth gear early, but he pays the price next ball, looking for another big hit, chopping onto his stumps. Is that the last of Gayle for West Indies? Definitely looks like his last in a T20 World Cup at the very least. He raises his bat to the crowd as he walks off.

Over 2: WI 24-0 – Hazlewood hammered

Interesting to see how Lewis and Gayle were very keen to put Hazlewood off his lengths early. It’s a strategy that should probably be common, but Hazlewood has been miserly in the powerplay by hitting his favourite lengths. Lewis and Gayle were adamant about attacking him each ball. Three fours and a six off that over. Will it force Cummins to bowl early?

Big game for Windies

It isn’t just a dead rubber or a chance to relive their glory days for West Indies; they have direct qualification to the Super 12 of next year’s T20 World Cup on the line. A win here would help them in qualifying directly. How many of these guys would be there next year? Not many is my guess.

Gayle semi-retired?

Chris Gayle, while acknowledging Dwayne Bravo’s role in a conversation shown on broadcast, stated he is “semi-retired” too. Does that mean we are seeing the last of Gayle in international cricket today?

Playing XI

West Indies: Chris Gayle, Evin Lewis, Nicholas Pooran (wk), Roston Chase, Shimron Hetmyer, Kieron Pollard (c), Andre Russell, Jason Holder, Dwayne Bravo, Hayden Walsh, Akeal Hosein

Australia: David Warner, Aaron Finch (c), Mitchell Marsh, Glenn Maxwell, Steven Smith, Marcus Stoinis, Matthew Wade (wk), Pat Cummins, Mitchell Starc, Adam Zampa, Josh Hazlewood

“Not [worried] one bit,” says Aaron Finch about the NRR factor. If both Australia and South Africa win today, it will be down to net run rate, but Finch is focused on getting those two points in the bag and trusting England, as ironic as that sounds.

Hayden Walsh is in for West Indies. Aaron Finch stated last night that he expected Windies to make this change with the leg-spinner running riot with 12 wickets in the recent bilateral T20I series.

Toss update: Australia win the toss and opt to bowl first

The lopsided head-to-head

Australia have had a better T20 World Cup so far, but West Indies, this very team, humbled them in the Caribbean Islands 4-1 very recently. Australia did not have some main players in that squad, though. Overall, Australia have lost 10 of the 16 T20Is between these sides. None of that will matter today – the final day of matches in Group 1 – with Australia aiming to qualify for the semi-finals ahead of South Africa, who later face England in a must-win fixture.

T20 World Cup 2021, Australia v West Indies– Preview

Date: November 6, 2021

Time: 2 pm

Venue: Sheikh Zayed Stadium, Abu Dhabi

Australia have six points in the T20 World Cup, at a net run rate of 1.031. West Indies have two points out of three games, and if they manage to beat Sri Lanka in the ongoing encounter, they would continue to remain in contention for the T20 World Cup.

Australia: Injury updates and squad news

Injury updates: Australia looked in great form against Bangladesh, and brushed off an ordinary performance against England with a massive win. They don’t seem to have any injury concern and will look to field their strongest XI.

Predicted XI: David Warner, Aaron Finch (c), Mitchell Marsh, Glenn Maxwell, Steve Smith, Marcus Stoinis, Matthew Wade (wk), Pat Cummins, Mitchell Starc, Adam Zampa, Josh Hazlewood

Team updates and Squad news for Australia: Aus Squad

West Indies: Injury updates and squad news

Injury updates: West Indies have battled player fitness issue throughout the tournament, but their skipper Kieron Pollard was fit enough to play against Sri Lanka. It will be Bravo’s last international game.

Predicted XI: Evin Lewis, Chris Gayle, Nicholas Pooran (wk), Roston Chase, Shimron Hetmeyer, Kieron Pollard (c), Andre Russell, Dwayne Bravo, Jason Holder, Hayden Walsh Jr., Ravi Rampaul

Team updates and Squad news for West Indies: WI Squad

T20 World Cup 2021 Australia v West Indies: Where to watch live

India: Star Sports Network: Star Sports 1 (and HD), Star Sports 2 (and HD), Star Sports 1 Hindi (and HD), Star Sports 1 Tamil, Star Sports 1 Telugu and Star Sports 1 Kannada

Start time 3.30 pm

UK & Ireland: Sky Sports Cricket, Sky Sports Main Event, Sky Sports Mix; Sky Sports app, www.skysports.com

Start time 11 am

Australia: Fox Cricket; Foxtel GO, Foxtel NOW, Kayo Sports

Start time 9 pm AEDT

West Indies: ESPN; ESPN

Start time: 5 am EST

The complete list of broadcast (TV and live streaming) options for the tournament can be found here.