Bridgetown [Barbados], June 8 : On an action-packed Saturday of the ongoing ICC T20 World Cup, the Kensington Oval stadium in Barbados will be playing hosts to the oldest and most heated rivalry in the sport’s history, the England and Australia.

While the England versus Australia rivalry is best experienced and enjoyed during the Ashes series, a multi-Test match competition, the white-ball cricket matches between two cricketing powerhouses are just as entertaining. Add to this rivalry the occasion of Cricket World Cup and the action becomes just as intense as a Test match at Lord’s with the Ashes urn on the line.

In the history of the ICC T20 World Cup, England and Australia have locked horns thrice, with England enjoying an advantage with two wins and just one loss. One more match, in the 2022 edition of the tournament in Australia, could not happen because of rain. Australia has not prevailed over England in T20 WC since 2007. Let us look at the rivalry between these two sides.

-ICC T20 World Cup 2007, September 2007

In this match held at Cape Town, England won the toss and opted to bat first. However, Australia pacers Nathan Bracken (3/16), Mitchell Johnson (3/22) and Brett Lee (1/31) were disciplined with the ball. They dominated a large segment of the game, only allowing Andrew Flintoff (31 in 19 balls, with four boundaries and a six) to showcase some fireworks, restricting England to 135 in 20 overs.

In the run-chase, Matthew Hayden (67* in 43 balls, with 11 fours and three sixes) and Adam Gilchrist (45 in 28 balls, with six fours and a six) ended the match with their 78-run opening stand itself. Australia won by eight wickets with 31 balls in hand and Bracken got the ‘Player of the Match’ award.

-ICC T20 World Cup 2010 final, May 2010

The final of the 2010 edition of the competition had Australia and England locking horns at Bridgetown, Barbados, where these teams will be playing again today. England won the toss and opted to field first. England reduced Australia to 95/5, but knocks from David Hussey (59 in 54 balls, with two fours and two sixes) and Cameron White (30 in 19 balls, with four boundaries and a six) took Australia to 147/6. Ryan Sidebottom (2/26) was the top bowler for England.

In the run-chase, a young Craig Kieswetter (63 in 49 balls, with seven fours and two sixes) and Kevin Pietersen (47 in 31 balls, with four boundaries and a six) dismantled Australia to reach the target with seven wickets and three overs in hand and finally laid hands on their first-ever major championship in cricket. Kieswetter got the ‘Player of the Match’ award.

-ICC T20 World Cup 2021, October 2021

In this match held in Dubai, England put Australia to bat first. But besides skipper Aaron Finch (44 in 49 balls, with four boundaries), none of his teammates gave him support as Australia was bundled out for 125 runs in 20 overs. Chris Jordan (3/17) and Chris Woakes (2/23) did most of the damage. Then, an explosive 71* in 32 balls from Jos Buttler with five fours and five sixes guided England single-handedly to a eight-wicket win with 50 balls left. Jordan took home the ‘Player of the Match’ award.

Talking points ahead of the game:

-Poor run of Australian all-rounder Glenn Maxwell, who has just got 52 runs in the last 11 T20 games, including five ducks.

-Brilliant form of England skipper Jos Buttler, Phil Salt and Will Jacks, who constitute England’s top-order. Buttler has also done well in SA20 and the Indian Premier League (IPL) this year, scoring 408 runs in 11 innings with three fifties in SA20 this year and 359 runs in 11 games in IPL, with two centuries. Salt is another in-form batter, having set the T20 cricket on fire ever since he smashed two back-to-back centuries against West Indies. He followed this by scoring 435 runs in 12 matches for Kolkata Knight Riders (KKR) in the IPL, with four half-centuries.

-Poor form of T20 WC 2022 ‘Player of the Tournament’ Sam Curran is a concern. In 2023, he just made 102 runs in seven innings at an average of 14.57, with a fifty and taken eight wickets at an average of 33.37 and an economy rate of 9.15. His best bowling figures of 2/25. Whether the 2022 ‘Player of the Tournament’ will make it to the playing eleven is a serious question.

-Fitness and ability of England pacer Jofra Archer to play with immense intensity after return from injury in a match as big as this.

-Fitness of Australia pacer Mitchell Starc, who suffered from cramps in the previous match against Oman. Though Mitchell Marsh, the skipper has confirmed his availability, Australia would want their best bowler to deliver all four overs pain-free and pick up wickets.

-Australia’s choice to choose from pacers Nathan Ellis, a more T20 specialist talent and Pat Cummins, the 50-over World Cup-winning skipper who brings a lot of leadership qualities and experience to assist newly-appointed T20I skipper Marsh.

-Australian opener Travis Head’s recent poor run of form, having made just 46 runs in the last five T20 innings, including three ducks.

-Red hot form of Australian all-rounder Marcus Stoinis, who has scored 627 runs at an average of 31.35 and a strike rate of 140.26, including a century, and has picked up 22 wickets at 17.31 with an economy of 8.28 in T20s in 2024

Squads:

England Squad: Jos Buttler(w/c), Philip Salt, Will Jacks, Jonny Bairstow, Harry Brook, Moeen Ali, Liam Livingstone, Chris Jordan, Jofra Archer, Adil Rashid, Mark Wood, Reece Topley, Ben Duckett, Sam Curran, Tom Hartley

Australia Squad: David Warner, Travis Head, Mitchell Marsh(c), Glenn Maxwell, Marcus Stoinis, Tim David, Matthew Wade(w), Mitchell Starc, Nathan Ellis, Adam Zampa, Josh Hazlewood, Pat Cummins, Ashton Agar, Josh Inglis, Cameron Green.

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