It is one of the biggest rivalries in cricketing history! The two great Ashes foes will battle it out in what will be a massive Group B encounter. England’s washout against Scotland and the latter’s win against Namibia has put the defending champions in a spot of bother. Australia meanwhile, registered a fairly comfortable win against Oman in their opening encounter. Australia would be hoping to become the first team to achieve the treble simultaneously – they are currently the ICC WTC Champions and the ICC World Cup winners too. They have won the T20 World Cup once – in 2021 in the UAE. England lifted the trophy twice – in 2010 and 2022. Both Australia and England have won four of their last five result-matches.

Likely Playing XIs

Australia might rope in Ashton Agar in place of Nathan Ellis while England are expected to play the same XI they did against Scotland.

Australia likely XI

Batters – David Warner, Travis Head, Tim David

All-Rounders – Glenn Maxwell, Marcus Stoinis, Mitchell Marsh

Wicketkeeper – Matthew Wade

Bowlers – Mitchell Starc, Josh Hazlewood, Ashton Agar, Adam Zampa

England likely XI

Batters – Phil Salt, Jonny Bairstow, Harry Brook

All-Rounders – Mooen Ali, Liam Livingstone, Will Jacks

Wicketkeeper – Jos Buttler

Bowlers – Chris Jordan, Jofra Archer, Adil Rashid, Mark Wood

Last Five Matches

AUSTRALIA – LWWWW

ENGLAND – WWLWW

Player Statistics (Australia)

1. Travis Head

Travis Head was in brilliant form at the top of the order in the IPL. No batter scored more runs in the powerplay than the Australian left-hander. Head has a fine record in T20I cricket too with 668 runs in 26 innings at a strike rate of 146.5. He is a big-match and big-tournament player who raises his game when it matters most as he showcased in the ICC WTC Final and the ICC World Cup Final last year.

Head in T20Is:

Innings – 27

Runs – 668

Average – 29

Strike Rate – 146

50-plus – 1

2. Mitchell Starc

Mitchell Starc is also a big-tournament player who cranks it on the biggest stage – he was the joint-highest wicket-taker in the 2015 World Cup Down Under and the highest wicket-taker in the 2019 World Cup in India. Starc has the unique ability to make inroads with the new ball – as he showcased against Oman too – and will be a handful in the overcast conditions on a helpful pitch in Barbados on Saturday. He has picked 29 wickets in 21 T20 World Cup encounters at a strike rate of 16.9.

Starc in T20Is:

Innings – 61

Wickets – 76

Average – 23

Strike Rate – 18

Economy – 7.66

Players who can make a Difference (Australia)

1. Glenn Maxwell

Glenn Maxwell has an exceptional record in T20I cricket with an aggregate of 2468 runs in 99 innings at a strike rate of 155.4. He has hammered the joint-most hundreds (5) in T20I cricket along with Rohit Sharma. Maxwell’s unconventional stroke-play could be the difference for Australia on bowler-friendly wickets in the Caribbean and the USA.

2. Adam Zampa

Adam Zampa is a wicket-taker in the middle-overs in T20I cricket and has returned with 94 wickets in 80 appearances for Australia at a strike rate of 18.5 and economy rate of 7.26. The wicket in Barbados has helped spinners in recent times and Zampa could be a handful against England.

Player Statistics (England)

1. Jos Buttler

Jos Buttler has an exceptional record in T20 World Cups with an aggregate of 799 runs in 27 innings at an average of 42.05 and strike rate of 144.5! He also boasts of excellent returns against Australia with an aggregate of 542 runs in 15 innings at a strike rate of 151. Buttler will be key in the powerplay for England.

Buttler in T20Is:

Innings – 107

Runs – 3050

Average – 35.5

Strike Rate – 145.5

50-plus – 24

2. Phil Salt

Phil Salt was in dazzling form in the IPL where he blasted 435 runs in just 12 matches at an average of 39.5 and strike rate of 182. Salt is a ferocious hitter of the ball and will form a destructive opening pair with skipper Buttler for England. He has had a great start to his T20I career too smashing 697 runs in just 22 innings at a scoring rate of 166.7.

Salt in T20Is:

Innings – 22

Runs – 697

Average – 34.9

Strike Rate – 166.7

50-plus – 4

Players who can make a Difference (England)

1. Jofra Archer

Jofra Archer can generate searing pace and bounce and could be a nightmare for the Australian batters with the new ball. Archer has picked 21 wickets in 18 T20Is for England at a strike rate of 19.3 and economy of 7.6.

2. Jonny Bairstow

Jonny Bairstow is one of the most feared hitters in international cricket and has an aggregate of 1561 runs in 66 innings for his country at an average of 30 and strike rate of 137.8. He has a strike rate of 138 against pace and 137 against spin.

Team Head to Head

Australia and England have a neck to neck rivalry in T20I cricket. They have faced each other 23 times with England winning 11 matches and Australia 10. England also have the edge in T20 World Cups with a 2-1 head to head. Their most famous clash was in the 2010 T20 World Cup Final in Barbados where England triumphed by seven wickets.

MATCHES

Player Head to Head

1. JOS BUTTLER vs JOSH HAZLEWOOD in T20Is

INNINGS – 5

BALLS FACED – 33

RUNS SCORED – 61

STRIKE RATE – 184.8

DISMISSALS – 0

2. GLENN MAXWELL vs ADIL RASHID IN T20Is

INNINGS – 7

BALLS FACED – 44

RUNS SCORED – 72

STRIKE RATE – 163.63

DISMISSALS – 2

3.DAVID WARNER vs JOFRA ARCHER IN T20Is

INNINGS – 2

BALLS FACED – 12

RUNS SCORED – 12

STRIKE RATE – 100

DISMISSALS – 2

4. HARRY BROOK vs LEFT-ARM ORTHODOX IN T20s SINCE 2023

INNINGS – 17

BALLS FACED – 49

RUNS SCORED – 49

STRIKE RATE – 100

DISMISSALS – 5

Venue and Pitch

The pitch at the famous Kensington Oval in Bridgetown, Barbados will assist seamers in what are expected to be overcast conditions on Saturday. The mean temperature will be around 29 degrees. Interestingly, it is the spinners who have a better bowling average and economy at the venue. Bridgetown has already hosted four matches in the competition. Overall in all T20Is, the team batting first has won 17 while the team chasing has just won eight of the 28 matches at the venue. The average score batting first is 160 for 7 while the average score chasing is 140 for 7. The highest score at the venue is 224 – posted by the West Indies against England in 2022.

Match Prediction

It will be contest between England’s batters and Australia’s bowlers in Barbados. The battle between Starc and Hazlewood against Buttler and Salt in the powerplay will define the course of the match. Given the conditions and the nature of the pitch, expect Australia to make inroads with the new ball. Maxwell vs Rashid will be a key match-up in the middle-overs. In the final analysis, it is going to be very tight contest but England’s batting depth might just give them than edge against their biggest rivals. England go into the match with a 60% chance of victory.

Fantasy XI

Glenn Maxwell will be a good choice for captain – not only does he have an excellent record against England and in T20I cricket, he will also be a more than useful bowler on the helpful track at Barbados. Jos Buttler could be a good vice-captain option given his numbers in T20 World Cup cricket. As a wicket-keeper he is also bound to add to his points with a few catches and stumpings.

Openers: TRAVIS HEAD, JOS BUTTLER (vc)

Batters: PHIL SALT, GLENN MAXWELL (c), JONNY BAIRSTOW

All-rounders: MITCHELL MARSH, MARCUS STOINIS

Bowlers: MITCHELL STARC, JOSH HAZLWOOD, JOFRA ARCHER, ADIL RASHID