The cricket fans in India are eagerly waiting for the first T20I match between Australia and West Indies, which will kick off the three-match series on February 9, 2024. The two teams have recently faced each other in a thrilling Test series, which ended in a historic win for the visitors at the Gabba, and a one-sided ODI series, which saw the hosts dominate with a 3-0 whitewash. The T20I series promises to be an exciting contest, as both teams have some of the best players in the shortest format of the game.
Match Details
The first T20I match between Australia and West Indies will be played at the Blundstone Arena in Hobart on Friday, February 9, 2024. The match will start at 1:30 PM IST (8:00 AM GMT). The second T20I will be played at the Adelaide Oval on Sunday, February 11, 2024, and the third and final T20I will be played at the Perth Stadium on Tuesday, February 13, 2024. The match timings for the second and third T20Is are also 1:30 PM IST (8:00 AM GMT).
Where to Watch Live
The cricket fans in India can watch the live telecast of the AUS vs WI T20I series on the Star Sports network. The matches will be broadcast on the Star Sports 2 SD and Star Sports 2 HD channels. The live streaming of the T20I series will be available on the Disney+ Hotstar app and website. The fans can also follow the live score and updates on the official websites and social media handles of Cricket Australia and Cricket West Indies.
Team News
Australia have named a new captain for the T20I series, as Mitchell Marsh will lead the side in the absence of regular skipper Pat Cummins, who has been rested along with some other key players like Steve Smith and Mitchell Starc. The series will also mark the return of David Warner, who retired from ODI and Test cricket after the Ashes 2023. The explosive opener will be joined by the likes of Glenn Maxwell, Marcus Stoinis, Ashton Agar, and Adam Zampa, who have all performed well in the recent International League T20 tournament. Australia will also have some fresh faces in the squad, such as Josh Philippe, Riley Meredith, Tanveer Sangha, and Ben McDermott, who have impressed in the domestic circuit.
West Indies, on the other hand, will be led by Rovman Powell, who has taken over the captaincy from Kieron Pollard, who is also rested for the series. The Caribbean side will have some experienced players in the squad, such as Jason Holder, Kyle Mayers, Brandon King, and Sherfane Rutherford, who have all returned to the T20I fold after playing in the ILT20. West Indies will also have some exciting young talents in the squad, such as Nicholas Pooran, Shimron Hetmyer, Oshane Thomas, and Fabian Allen, who have shown their potential in the T20 format.
Head to Head
Australia and West Indies have played 14 T20I matches against each other, with Australia winning nine and West Indies winning five. The last time they met in a T20I series was in 2012, when West Indies won the three-match series 2-0 in Australia. The last T20I match between the two teams was in 2016, when West Indies won by three wickets in the World T20 semi-final in India.
Prediction
The AUS vs WI T20I series is expected to be a close and competitive one, as both teams have some of the best T20 players in the world. Australia will have the advantage of playing at home and having a balanced and experienced squad. West Indies will have the edge of having some of the most destructive and unpredictable players in the game. The series could go down to the wire, but Australia might have a slight edge over West Indies, given their recent form and confidence. We predict Australia to win the series 2-1.