England vs Australia, ICCWCT20 2022, Today Match Prediction

eng vs aus Match Prediction & Analysis

England lost to Ireland when rain stopped play and the Buttler-led team found themselves 5 runs behind the DLS par score. Australia bounced back in their second Super 12 match as they beat Sri Lanka by 7 wickets. 

There are similar issues in the batting department for both teams. Australia’s top order failed to flourish against Sri Lanka chasing 158 runs. It was Stoinis and Maxwell who led the team to a thumping win.

England were also chasing 158 runs against Ireland and 3 of their top 5 batsmen were out for single-digit scores. It was Moeen Ali with 24 off 12 balls who brought England back in the game. 

With a struggling top-order on a ground where the new-ball bowlers enjoy movement off the pitch, both teams are bound to face a tough challenge with the bat. The bowlers have been promising in both teams with the pacers leading from the front. 

TEAMS PREVIEW

England Preview

England were chasing a below-par total in both of their games so far. And they struggled on both occasions. The top order has been disappointing, to say the least.

Neither of the two openers has scored a significant inning so far. Jos Buttler and Alex Hales will be crucial for an English comeback in this game. 

England were impressive with the bat in their recent T20I series against Australia. However, lately, all of their key players seem to have lost their touch and are in desperate need of a comeback.

Dawid Malan, Ben Stokes, and Liam Livingstone in the middle order will be crucial to building partnerships after a potential collapse at the top. Moeen Ali is a reliable match-finisher for England and by the time he comes to the crease, the conditions will be favourable for batting. 

England has a deep batting lineup and hence, the top-order batsmen can go about playing their strokes freely. In recent games, they seem to be striking at a rate below 100 which hurt England in their last match.

Mark Wood, Sam Curran, and Ben Stokes will be the key bowlers in the pace department. Whereas, Liam Livingstone can be the one to give breakthroughs with his spin.

England Predicted Playing XI:

Jos Buttler (c & wk), Alex Hales, Dawid Malan, Ben Stokes, Liam Livingstone, Harry Brook, Moeen Ali, Sam Curran, Chris Woakes, Adil Rashid, Mark Wood

Australia Preview

Australia secured their first winning points as they beat Sri Lanka in the last game. Marcus Stoinis played a match-winning knock of 59 runs off 18 balls at number 5. 

Glenn Maxwell was also significant in the run chase with his quickfire 23 off 12 balls. Aaron Finch and David Warner will be under the scanner now after failing to contribute in back-to-back games.

Though the skipper stayed unbeaten in the recent win, he scored 31 off 42 balls which is not what one would expect of him in a T20 World Cup. Another key player who’s been failing consistently to convert his starts is the batting all-rounder Mitch Marsh at number 3.

He played a big role in Australia’s 2021 T20 World Cup win with the bat. With the top 3 not rising to the occasion, it looks like the scoring responsibilities now rest with Maxwell, Stoinis, and Matthew Wade. 

Maxwell’s return to form is big news for Australia ahead of the England clash. The all-rounder can take the game away from the opposition once he gets going.

And now with Stoinis also coming to the party, the skipper can rest assured that his team has reliable match finishers lower down the order. The pace trio of Stac, Hazlewood, and Cummins will be impactful in the early overs at the MCG.

Australia Predicted Playing XI:

David Warner, Aaron Finch (c), Mitchell Marsh, Glenn Maxwell, Marcus Stoinis, Tim David, Matthew Wade (wk), Pat Cummins, Ashton Agar, Mitchell Starc, Josh Hazlewood

PITCH AND WEATHER CONDITIONS

Weather Conditions

The MCG pitch saw a close finish between India and Pakistan earlier in the World Cup. The last match played here between England and Ireland also had a similar fate with things getting close just before the rain had its say. 

There is good bounce and carry on offer at this pitch and the pacers can also find movement with the new ball. Rains are expected on match day with a high of 13 degrees Celsius. Since this will be the second match at the MCG on the same day, rain is very likely to affect the playing conditions.

Venue Details

The MCG is one of the most popular cricket grounds in Australia. The average 1st innings total at this ground is 142 from 15 T20Is. Considering the stats and the weather conditions for the match day, it is likely to be a low-scoring affair between these two teams.

Toss: To Bowl

Chasing is the way to go on this ground. Though it won’t be an easy outing for either of the teams whether they bat first or bowl, there is a slight advantage to teams chasing a target. Teams batting second have won 10 of the 15 T20Is played at this venue.