 The last Super Eight game of this season's ICC World T20 will be played between
West Indies and Australia. Australia is the form team of the tournament
and have been able to beat everyone ad very convincingly at that, whereas West
Indies have ebbed and flowed, but are still with a chance to make it through to
the next round.
Click for Live Score Card of West Indies Vs AustraliaThe scenario for the West Indian side is like this. If India is able to beat
Sri Lanka, they only need to beat Australia and both, West Indies and Australia
will go through to the next round, the semi-finals. If Sri Lanka beat India,
then West Indies need to beat Australia to force a three-way tie between Australia,
Sri Lanka and the hosts. However, with Australia having already beaten India
and Sri Lanka by humongous margins, it means that the side can afford to lose
the game and still qualify for the semi-finals, whereas the other two need more
than only a win; they need to up their net run-rate and try to go through.
Australia continues to mesmerize the opposition with its thunderbolts, as the
four pace bowlers have shown. However, the side also need to understand that
on a pitch at St. Lucia, where the bounce may not be too steep and will test
the pace bowlers, they could look at trying out a spinner instead of an extra
pacer.
Nathan Hauritz could be given a chance to play in the side, and that means
that one of the likes of Shaun Tait and Dirk Nannes could be given a
break, something that would allow them recover as well, from the manner in which
they have been playing.
Apart from that, the batting will continue to remain the same, and as has been
the case throughout the tournament, one or the other of the batsmen have been
able to make it through to saving the batting.
For West Indies, Chris Gayle continues to be the one-man force who holds
the key. The batting revolves around him and he will look to make the most of
opening the innings, playing himself in and then, going after the bowling in
the latter overs.
However, what may work against him is that after the 98 he scored, the pressure
and focus on him would be immense and that will probably make it more difficult
for him.
Australia look the definite favourites, and they will ensure that the side
continues its winning run in the tournament.
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