Aaron Finch has confirmed that Australia would play four specialist bowlers, while all-rounders Marcus Stoinis, Glenn Maxwell and Mitch Marsh would do the fifth bowler's job.
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Australia take on South Africa in the Super 12, Group 1 opener of the T20 World Cup in Abu Dhabi on Saturday. Neither side has a great record when it comes to the T20 World Cup therefore both would be hoping to start off their campaign on a high.
Meanwhile based on recent form, South Africa have a clear edge over Australia. The Proteas have won nine of their last 10 matches coming into the tournament and posted convincing wins over Afghanistan and Pakistan in the warm-up matches.
Australia on the other hand have lost eight of their last 10 T20Is.
Australia didn’t have a great preparation for the tournament as they edged past New Zealand before losing to India in the last warm-up match.
Meanwhile Australia’s biggest concern would be the form of opener David Warner as he has scored just three runs in the last four innings since arriving in the UAE for the IPL.
However, given Warner’s outstanding record in all forms of the game Australia captain Aaron Finch is confident that the southpaw would rise to the occasion.
“I’m backing Davey’s ability, I’m backing his judgement,” Finch said. “If you look at his World Cup history it’s bloody good” Finch said.
“Would he have liked more runs? Absolutely. Everyone would like more runs all the time, but he’s one of the greatest players Australia has ever produced and I’ve got no doubts that come game one he’ll be up and firing.”
Meanwhile Warner’s opening partner Finch who is coming back from a knee surgery is also short of match practice and form but the 34-year-old is pleased with his progress.
“The knee’s feeling great,” he said. “It’s better than what I thought it would be at this stage to be honest so to be able to play those first two warm-up games against New Zealand and India was crucial, I think.
“I hit a few in the middle, which was nice.”
Finch has confirmed that Australia would play four specialist bowlers, while all-rounders Marcus Stoinis, Glenn Maxwell and Mitch Marsh would do the fifth bowler’s job. During the practice match on Wednesday, Finch opted for pace bowlers Mitchell starc and Pat Cummins and spinners Adam Zampa and Ashton Agar.
“We’ve got a lot of confidence in the depth of our squad,” Finch said. “We’ve got a lot of confidence in Maxwell, Stoinis and Marsh to be able to bowl those four overs as well just as a chop out.
“We think on these wickets in these conditions they can do a really good job and be an attacking option as much as anything.”
South Africa’s big trump card in UAE could be spinner Tabraiz Shamsi, the current No. 1 T20 bowler. He is just four wickets away from taking the most T20I wickets in a single calendar year having claimed 28 so far in 2021. Meanwhile Rassi van de Dussen who scored a century against Pakistan in the practice match is in sublime form.
Pace bowler Kagiso Rabada is one of the most lethal bowlers out their in the international circuit. His combination along with Anrich Nortje would be too hot for even the best to handle. Both of them led Delhi Capitals’ pace attack during the 2021 IPL and helped them to a top of the table finish during the league stage.
