The T20I series between Australia and India kicks off on October 7th. The series consists of three T20Is, with all the games scheduled to take place at the Carrara Oval in Queensland.
After an exciting ODI series and a one-off Day-Night Test, the action shifts to the shortest format. The multi-format series is on the line, and the winner of the T20I series takes it all.
The ODI series was a close-fought one. Australia won their first two games of the series, but India bounced back in the last ODI to break the record-winning streak of the Southern Stars.
The Day-Night Test was also a fascinating contest. Although the rain played spoilsport, washing out the first two days, the Indians displayed a brilliant show as they kept the hosts at bay. The Test ended in a draw, but the way the India fought throughout the match was commendable.
On the team news front, Harmanpreet Kaur is back to lead the Indian side in the T20Is. Her inclusion will be a boost for the visitors as she hasn’t played a single game on this tour due to an injury. The likes of Jemimah Rodrigues, Smriti Mandhana, and Shafali Verma have all been in good form in the shortest format. Resultantly, India will be eager to get an early lead in the T20I series with a win on Thursday (October 7).
Australia, on the other hand, have been hit by injuries in recent times. Rachael Haynes missed out on the Test and will be out of action for the T20I series. Jess Jonassen and Megan Schutt won’t be available for selection, providing youngsters with an opportunity to prove themselves on the bigger stage. Meg Lanning will be eager to lead the Australian side by example and get back to winning ways in the upcoming T20I series.
Match Details
Match: Australia vs India, 1st T20I.
Date and Time: October 7th, 2021, Thursday, 02:10 PM IST.
Venue: Carrara Oval, Queensland.
Weather Report
The temperature in Queensland on Thursday is expected to range between 16 to 27 degrees Celsius. There is no chance of rain and expect the T20I series to kick off on Thursday.
Pitch Report
The pitch at Carrara Oval is good for batting. We have seen batters enjoy batting on this surface as the ball comes nicely onto the bat. The bowlers need to hit the right areas as they will go on a journey to missing those. Expect a high-scoring game in the opener of the T20I series.
Predicted Playing XIs
Australia
The current T20I champions have all the bases covered. The batters play an aggressive brand of cricket and we expect them to go after the Indian bowlers from the start. The Australian bowlers need to step up and back up their batters in the T20I series.
Predicted XI: Allysa Healy (wk), Beth Mooney, Meg Lanning (c), Ashleigh Gardner, Ellyse Perry, Annabel Sutherland, Tahlia McGrath, Sophie Molineux, Nicola Carey, Georgia Wareham, Tayla Vlaeminck.
India
The Indian team have been very good on the tour so far but need to be on their toes while facing the T20I champions. They recently lost the T20I series against England and will look to get back to winning ways in the format while facing Australia down under.
Predicted XI: Shafali Verma, Smriti Mandhana, Harleen Deol, Jemimah Rodrigues, Harmanpreet Kaur, Richa Gosh (wk), Deepti Sharma, Sneh Rana/Radha Yadav, Meghna Singh, Shikha Pandey, Poonam Yadav.
Match Prediction
The two sides last faced each other in a T20I during the final of the ICC T20 World Cup in 2020. India couldn’t handle the pressure as the Southern Stars won the game comprehensively. The experience in the shortest format will come in handy in the upcoming series.
Expect Australia to kick off the T20I series with a win over India.
TV and live streaming details
TV: Sony Sports Network
Live Streaming: SonyLiv
Looking for fast live cricket scores? Download CricRocket and get fast score updates, top-notch commentary in-depth match stats & much more! 🚀☄️