India vs Australia
Bangalore is the venue for this second and final Twenty Twenty International clash between India and Australia.
With five one-day internationals set to follow in just under a fortnight next month, it’s fair to say these two sides will be well used to seeing each other before a ball is bowled in the 2019 Cricket World Cup this summer.
So, can these nations give us some pointers ahead of the much-anticipated spectacle in England and Wales?
Talking Points
In the first T20 clash, Australia scored 14 runs off the final over to triumph in a low scoring game.
KL Rahul actually scored 50 from 36 balls, but India failed to build on the foundation and stuttered to 126-7.
The Aussies looked to be in control before Glenn Maxwell was out for 56, but the loss of five quick wickets left them 113-7 going into the last over.
In the end, it was Jhye Richardson and Pat Cummins who each scored seven from three balls off Umesh Yadav to help the visitors win.
The question now is, can they do it again?
Even if they do and become big T20 2019 news, it will hardly surpass the big cricket story of the year so far.
That came last month when India won their first ever test series in Australia when the talismanic Virat Kohli led them to victory on Aussie soil, ending a 71-year wait and a 2-1 series success.
It was quite a start to what is a big cricketing year and India are unquestionably the top side in the world with the world rankings putting Australia in, by their standards, a lowly fourth place.
Indeed, India are above their southern hemisphere opponents in every level of the game at the moment: both test, ODI and T20 have India as the better team when you look at the official tables.
Yet we know that in a one-off format, as the World Cup is, surprises can happen, particularly when the crowds flock to watch these two collide – the past few months have shown that.
The fact they are due to meet at the Oval in the competition on June 9 reminds me of the famous phrase which says: ‘keep your friends close, keep your enemies closer’.
After such a momentous few months for the hosts, it may come as a surprise that Umesh Yadav was subject to flak on social media after conceding 14 runs off the last over in Visakhapatnam.
However, with the World Cup looming, this series is being seen by both nations as one to give the fringe members of the limited overs squad a chance.
For the tourists, there is something about bowling first-change. Cummins has risen to the top of the Test rankings bowling behind Mitch Starc and Josh Hazlewood, and the first T20 showed a surprise with the new opening combination of D’Arcy Short and Marcus Stoinis.
There is no question they will be contenders once the World Cup gets underway as they look to put a turbulent year behind them.
The proud cricketing nation has a World Cup to defend with or without banned batsmen David Warner and Steve Smith as they continue to recover from elbow surgery with no return date set.
Aussie one-day captain Aaron Finch knows the forthcoming one-day series against India, followed closely by Pakistan, will provide them with the opportunity for batsmen to challenge for the spots that would go the pair’s way should they not return.
Warner and Smith both had elbow surgery in January, and neither will be immediately available for Australia when their bans expire on March 28.
This is a chance for some of their team-mates to seize their moments.
This T20 clash can be more important than you first realise.
History
Since 2007, India have had the edge in their T20 encounters.
They have won 11 of their meetings compared to seven Australia successes, most famously in the semi-final of the 2007 T20 World Cup when India won by 15 runs on their way to a tournament final victory over Pakistan.
Australia have a clear advantage in their one-day meetings, however. They have 73 triumphs to India’s 47, although India won their most recent meeting last month in Melbourne.
Likewise, the Aussies have the clear edge in test clashes with 42 victories to India’s 28. There have also been 28 draws in history.
Betting Tip
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India vs Australia | Australia Draw No Bet @ 2.44 |
| February 27, 21:30 (GMT+8) |
India are clear favourites when you look at SBOBET’s T20 2019 betting odds.
Asian Handicap odds has them priced 0.00 @ 1.55 with Australia 0.00 @ 2.44.
Given the home odds are so clear, how about taking a punt on my prediction?
A SHORT EXPLANATION ON HOW OUR ( ) BETS ARE WORTH: |
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|---|---|---|---|
 = €20 (Highly confident) |
= €10 (CONFIDENT) |
= €5 (SOMEWHAT CONFIDENT) |
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Disclaimer: Odds are correct at time of publish.
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