Last Updated on 2 months by Charbel Coorey

WI vs AUS 3rd T20 Dream11 Prediction Possible Playing 11 Pitch Report | WI vs AUS 3rd T20 Dream11 Prediction Today | West Indies vs Australia 3rd T20I Key Players | St. Lucia Pitch Report

The trainwreck that is Australia’s Caribbean T20I series has another stop. Now, it’s not a matter of if the Aussies will fire, but rather it’s a necessity that they do to keep the series alive. Their performance in the second T20I was worse than their first from an all-round perspective, going down by a massive 56 runs. From the moment Shimron Hetmyer and Dwayne Bravo got a hold of the Aussie attack – including the out-of-form Mitchell Starc – Australia were never in the game.

Another poor batting display hampered the touring side, who must surely be still scratching their heads as to what their best combinations are. With the T20 World Cup fast approaching, such a predicament is certainly not ideal, but the pressure of keeping a series alive might just be the catalyst for a shift in form.

Don’t tell that to West Indies, though. The men in maroon are coming off their own series defeat against South Africa, and they have gone some way to putting that behind them in this series to date. In both games, the depth of the Windies came to the fore, with Andre Russell, Shimron Hetmyer, Dwayne Bravo and all the bowlers keeping Australia at bay. Do it one more time here and the series will be wrapped up.

Key Players to Watch/Key Stats

West Indies:

• Shimron Hetmyer is a danger man in the middle overs of a T20. His 61 off 36 balls won him player of the match in the second T20I, after starts in his previous two T20Is (31 and 20).
• Andre Russell is enjoying a much better series vs Australia (51 off 28 balls and 24* off 8 balls) than he did against South Africa (62 runs, avg. 15.50). In nine T20s on this ground, Russell strikes at a superb 221.13 per 100 balls. He has also taken two wickets in four overs this series.
• Time for Lendl Simmons to convert a start? He has made scores of 27 and 30 in this series, getting out just as he was starting to get settled.
• Dwayne Bravo has been superb with both bat and ball in recent times. He is coming off a score of 47* (34) last game and has taken 11 wickets in his last seven T20Is.
• Hayden Walsh Jr is enjoying some series. He has taken three wickets in both games (3/23 and 3/29) and he will be looking to do more of the same here.
• Expect Obed McCoy to return in this game. McCoy has taken 17 wickets in his last nine T20Is (including 4/26 in the first T20I). He has gone wicketless only once in these last nine matches.

Australia:

Also read: Twitter reactions to Australia’s shocking collapse

• Mitchell Marsh has been a shining light in a terrible tour so far for Australia. Marsh has struck consecutive fifties this series, and three in four innings this tour (including the intra-squad match). He has also taken figures of 2/26 and 1/18.
• In New Zealand earlier this year, Aaron Finch was under pressure of making scores of 1 and 12 in the first two T20Is. He then bounced back with scores of 69, 79* and 36. Can he do the same here?
• Back Matthew Wade to score well if Australia bat first. When batting first in T20s, he has scored 1,946 runs at 36.72 (SR 149.12). When batting second, the numbers drop significantly to 17.67 and 117.78 respectively.
• Josh Hazlewood has taken four wickets in two games this series (3/12 and 1/39). He will be key once again against the Windies top order in the powerplay.
• Australia’s spinners have been outbowled by the Windies’ spinners this series. So, onus will be on Ashton Agar (20 wickets in last 13 T20Is) and Adam Zampa to step up.

Stats and Facts

• West Indies have won their past five T20Is against Australia, dating back to 2012.
• If Australia lose this match, then it will confirm their fourth straight T20I series defeat in a row (England, India, New Zealand, West Indies).
• Is Chris Gayle on borrowed time? The great T20 batsman has had a tough year in T20Is in 2021 (102 runs in nine innings, avg. 12.75 SR 92.72).

Possible Playing 11

Chris Gayle’s form is a worry for West Indies, so it will be interesting to see if they persist with him. Also, Kieron Pollard’s fitness is being monitored, and Fidel Edwards picked up an arm injury last game.

West Indies: 1. Lendl Simmons, 2. Andre Fletcher, 3. Chris Gayle, 4. Shimron Hetmyer, 5. Dwayne Bravo, 6. Andre Russell, 7. Nicholas Pooran (c & wk), 8. Fabian Allen, 9. Hayden Walsh Jr, 10. Obed McCoy, 11. Sheldon Cottrell/Oshane Thomas

There are murmurs that Ashton Turner could be in line for an opportunity. Australia are in need of a middle order revamp, so a change could take place there. Also, Mitchell Starc’s form is a worry, so it remains to be seen if Australia play him again.

Australia: 1. Aaron Finch (c), 2. Matthew Wade (wk), 3. Mitchell Marsh, 4. Josh Philippe, 5. Moises Henriques, 6. Ben McDermott/Ashton Turner, 7. Dan Christian, 8. Ashton Agar, 9. Mitchell Starc, 10. Adam Zampa, 11. Josh Hazlewood

Daren Sammy National Stadium St. Lucia Pitch Report and Weather

A new pitch will be used for this match, which is likely to play similarly to the first two T20Is. The team batting first has won the last six matches in West Indies, so runs on the board, with dew not really a factor due to the breezy conditions, could be key. A dry evening is forecast.

Dream11 Prediction

Option 1:

Option 2:

Match Prediction

Australia inspire very little confidence when chasing in T20Is. Also, West Indies have had their recent struggles when batting second. So, batting first could mean another victory here.