Australia’s T20 World Cup campaign gets underway tonight and the Aussies have made a sensational start against South Africa.
Welcome to our coverage of Australia’s opening match of the T20 World Cup against South Africa.
The Aussies couldn’t made a better start in Abu Dhabi, claiming several early wicket to have the Proteas on the ropes after 10 overs.
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Bizarre dismissal has South Africa on the ropes
South Africa’s terrible luck at World Cups has struck again with Quinton de Kock falling to a “calamitous dismissal”.
The Proteas wicketkeeper looked to try and play a ramp shot off Josh Hazlewood but it backfired terribly.
De Kock didn’t connect with the ball and it ballooned up in the air off his leg and slowly fell down on to his stumps, knocking the bails off.
It was Hazlewood’s second wicket and left South Africa reeling at 3-23 in the fifth over.
“What a horrible fate for Quinton de Kock,” the commentator said of the bizarre dismissal.
“What an extraordinary dismissal this is. He literally stood there outside his ground watching it with no means of stopping it.
“He watched it in slow motion. It was a slow death but he’s on the way back. A calamitous dismissal for South Africa.”
Former South Africa spearhead Dale Steyn was in shock at the wicket.
“A disaster for South Africa,” he said.
“This is not the way one would imagine getting out. Just coming off the thigh pad, popping up in the air.
“No one saw it happening, then softly and gently falling back on to the stumps “
Australia makes perfect start with the ball
After electing to bowl first, Australia has struck early with two wickets in the opening three overs.
Glenn Maxwell clean bowled Temba Bavuma for 12 after the South African captain was looking extremely dangerous, dispatching Mitchell Starc for two boundaries in the opening over.
It was the first time Starc has gone for 10 runs in the 29 times he’s opened the bowling for Australia in a T20 international, and it prompted a change in the bowling straight away.
Hazlewood then claimed the wicket of Rassie van der Dussen with his very first ball, with the Proteas No. 3 edging through to wicketkeeper Matthew Wade.
South Africa was 2-23 after four overs.
Australia win toss and name starting XI
Australia won the toss and captain Aaron Finch and elected to bowl against the Proteas.
Despite speculation bowling ace Pat Cummins might be left out of Australia’s attack, he has been included in the final XI.
The bowling attack features Cummins, Mitch Starc, Josh Hazlewood and just the one spinner in Adam Zampa.
Ashton Agar and Kane Richardson weren’t included Australia’s bowling line-up.
“It was a brutally tough selection on Ash and Kane Richardson,” Finch said pre-game.
“Mitch Swepson and Josh Inglis also miss out. It’s always great when you’re fighting for positions like that but it was a really tough one.”
Australia’s XI
Aaron Finch (c), David Warner, Mitch Marsh, Glenn Maxwell, Steve Smith, Marcus Stoinis, Matthew Wade (wk), Pat Cummins, Mitchell Starc, Adam Zampa, Josh Hazlewood
South Africa’s XI
Quinton de Kock (wk), Temba Bavuma (c), Rassie van der Dussen, Aiden Markram, David Miller, Heinrich Klassen, Dwaine Pretorius, Kagiso Rabada, Keshav Maharaj, Anrich Nortje, Tabraiz Shamsi
Australia looking to bounce back from poor T20 form
The Aussies have struggled at T20 World Cups, making the final only once in 2010 and failing to progress past the group stages in the past two editions of the event.
They have also been drawn in an extremely tough Group of Death featuring England, South Africa, the West Indies, Bangladesh and Sri Lanka.
Very few pundits are predicting Australia to finish in the top two of Group 1 and go through to the semifinals, however a win against a South Africa is more than achievable.
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