Match News and Current Form
The West Indies’ T20I squad should be fuelled and motivated by the embarrassment of the 3-0 Test series loss, particularly those all-format players such as Alzarri Joseph, Shai Hope and Roston Chase who will be involved in both series. This series is being played in the backdrop of next year’s T20 World Cup, in which the Windies finished fifth on home soil, and since then they’ve sadly gone backwards.
Four consecutive bilateral series losses to Sri Lanka (2-1 away), England (3-1 home), Bangladesh (3-0 home) and England (3-0 away) were followed up by a 1-0 win in Ireland. They filled their boots by scoring 256 runs on a flat pitch against a listless Irish attack, but it did nothing to put their bad form behind them and even less to their current ICC ranking of sixth.
Mitchell Marsh leads a revitalised Australia T20I squad that features only two members of the Test squad - Cameron Green and Josh Inglis - and one that will look vastly different to the final 15-man squad that heads to India and/or Sri Lanka next year for the T20 World Cup. It’s so different that we’re likely to see Jake Fraser-McGurk don the wicketkeeping gloves at some point in the series as a temporary replacement for Inglis, who is dealing with lasting effects of prior injuries.
They’ve rested many other of their potential starters for the next World Cup such as Pat Cummins, Josh Hazlewood, Travis Head and Alex Carey. On top of that, they need to figure out a batting order that no longer has David Warner, Marcus Stoinis or Matthew Wade in it, and one of the roles could be filled by the debutant Mitch Owen. Despite Owen opening at franchise level, most notably when he made 108 off 42 balls in the 2024/25 Big Bash League grand final,
Head-to-Head History
The ledger is split 11 wins apiece between these two, meaning only India (20-11) have a better win rate against Australia than the West Indies’ 50% in this format.
That improves to a 6-3 record on home soil after they dominated the Aussies 4-1 in front of an empty Daren Sammy Stadium in Saint Lucia four years ago. That was the only time in the last decade the West Indies have hosted Australia in T20Is.
Hot Stats and Streaks
• West Indies took their first wicket for 8-15 runs in five of their last seven matches
• Brandon King is the only man with two 50+ scores in Jamaica T20Is (avg 53.00)
• Four of the five scores of 165+ in Jamaica were defended whilst three of the four under 165 were chased
• Australia conceded opening partnerships of 20 or fewer runs in eight of their last nine games
Key Players to Watch and Missing Players
37-year-old Andre Russell is bowing out from T20Is after the two games at his home ground of Sabina Park. In Australia 18 months ago, he drilled 109 runs across three games at a rate of nearly 14 runs per over. He still has a lot to give in his final days. Adam Zampa still takes bulk wickets, accumulating 35 from 78 overs in T20Is bowled last year. Seven of his last nine games in the Caribbean saw him take at least two.
West Indies are without the recently retired Nicholas Pooran. Jewel Andrew and Jediah Blades have been called up to the squad for the first time. Australia also lost Spencer Johnson to injury which opened up a spot for Fraser-McGurk to be recalled.
Betting Analysis
Brandon King should be full of belief after being the best of a bad bunch during the Test series, and he often grows a leg or two in front of his home fans. Back King to score 30+ runs in the game.
