The Super 12 of the ICC T20 World Cup 2022 stage will commence on Saturday, October 22, with the Trans-Tasman battle of Australia and New Zealand at the iconic Sydney Cricket Ground.
It will be a repeat of the last year’s final when these two side lock horns. They have produced some entertaining games and Saturday’s fixture has all the elements to be a blockbuster. Both teams hope to start their respective campaigns with a win. Let’s look at the predicted 11 of both teams:
Australia’s predicted 11:
Openers: Aaron Finch and David Warner
Aaron Finch and David Warner will be back at the top for defending champions. Although Finch hasn’t been in the best form, he has shown signs of his old self in the warm-up game against India. Australia will hope that it’s the revival of his form.
David Warner missed out on the last T20 against England, and the warm-up game will be a sure starter for the Aussies and will be expected to score runs and give the team well, consistently starts, just like the previous edition.
All-rounders: Mitchell Marsh, Glenn Maxwell, Marcus Stoinis, Tim David
Mitchell Marsh will bat at No.3, who has made this position for himself after being elevated to it last year. He has played several match-winning knocks at this position, including the half-century he scored in the finals last year against the Kiwis. He will be expected to score big, given that the world cup is in Australia.
Even though Maxwell has had a string of low scores in recent performances, the team backs him given his potential and what he brings to the team. He will be crucial in the middle overs, especially against the spinners.
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Stoinis, who is back on the team after an injury, has already played a few cameos at five, showing that he is ready to express himself at the World Cup.
The inclusion of David has further strengthened the Aussies’ power-hitting and finishing capabilities. Since his international debut, he has been striking at almost 160.
Wicket Keeper: Matthew Wade
Wade, who usually bats in the top order, has now completely settled into his as a finisher at 7. Since his knock in the semi-finals in UAE, Matthew Wade has just been consistently finishing games for the team. This was witnessed in the series against India in September.
Bowlers: Mitchell Starc, Pat Cummins, Josh Hazlewood, and Adam Zampa
Starc is vital for the defending champions with the new ball and at the death. He can swing the bowl both ways, creating trouble for the batters, and seen coming back into his whole rhythm.
The shortest format hasn’t been a strength for the Test and the new ODI captain, Cummins, but given that the world cup is in Australia, the bounce will play a key role. He will be seen troubling and unsettling them with the same.
Hazlewood and Zampa both were crucial to Australia’s successful campaign in UAE. Both have also continued their form this year, picking up 21 and 12 wickets, respectively. If the Aussies want to defend their title, these bowlers will be crucial for them, given their form.
New Zealand’s predicted 11:
Openers: Martin Guptill, Finn Allen
Guptill, the third-highest run-getter in this format, will be opening the innings for the Kiwis and is expected to play his naturally aggressive game.
Finn Allen, who has a new inclusion in the T20 setup for the Kiwis, has performed well in his given opportunities. He has scored 313 runs at a strike rate of 150, including one century. He will be expected to take full advantage of the powerplay overs.
Middle order: Kane Williamson, Devon Conway(WK), Glenn Phillips
Even though Williamson hasn’t been in the best of forms, his ability to keep the scoreboard moving and rise whenever the team requires him makes him crucial to this playing 11. He provides stability to this team.
Devon Conway, who will also be taking on the gloves, will be back batting in the middle order. Both Williamson and him are good players of spin. Conway has scored 339 runs this year for the Kiwis in T20IS.
Phillips, this year, has aggressively scored 449 runs at a strike rate of 153.77. The pace at which he is scoring runs is a big positive for the team, as it removes the pressure from Neesham to finish the innings for the Kiwis every time. He played an impressive 51 of 19 balls at the recently concluded tri-series in New Zealand.
All-rounders: James Neesham, Micheal Bracewell
Neesham has been an integral part of the New Zealand white ball setup as he provides the required fireworks at the end of the innings. This year he is finishing games at a strike rate of over 190, which shows his red-hot form.
Micheal Bracewell adjudged the series player in the recently concluded tri-series, has taken 17 wickets this year at an economical rate and is also handy with the bat. He has finished games for the Kiwis in the 50-over format and has the potential to do the same in the shortest format too.
Bowlers: Trent Boult, Tim Southee, Lockie Ferguson, and Ish Sodhi
Boult is crucial up front with the swinging bowl for the Kiwis. Even though he hasn’t played too many T20IS for New Zealand this year, everyone knows his capabilities upfront. In the ODI series against the Aussies, he took ten wickets in 3 games.
Southee has been one of the most improved T20 bowlers in the last few years, picking more wickets and conceding runs at a lesser economy. He has taken 11 wickets this year, and his experience will come in handy in Australia.
Lockie Ferguson can click 150+ kmph consistently, which makes him apt for Australian conditions. He can vary his pace well and has worked on keeping the batters thinking whether he will be bowling slower or fast. He has started hitting his Yorkers more consistently. He will add pace in this pace attack.
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Sodhi has been crucial in the white ball setup of this team. He has consistently picked up wickets and created pressure on the opposition batters. This year itself, he has picked up 20 wickets for the Kiwis. He will be essential for them in the middle overs.
This first clash promises to set high benchmarks for the rest of the tournament, and the spectators will be in for a spectacle throughout this tournament.
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