3 things to watch out for in Australia vs Scotland 2024 T20Is
Australia will face Scotland in the opening match of their three-game T20I series on Wednesday, September 4, at Grange Cricket Club in Edinburgh. This series is the first for both teams since the 2024 T20 World Cup.
Scotland was eliminated in the group stages of the competition while Australia was knocked out in the Super Eight stage. Both teams were in Group B and met in the 35th match of the World Cup.
Scotland batted first and scored 180 runs, with Brandon McMullen making a notable 60. In response, Australia were at 60 for three after 8.2 overs. Travis Head and Marcus Stoinis then combined for an 80-run partnership off 44 balls for the fourth wicket, with Head scoring a solid 68. Stoinis played a pivotal role, scoring 59 off 29 balls with nine boundaries and two sixes, leading Australia to a five-wicket victory with two balls to spare.
As the two teams prepare to face each other, we highlight three things to watch out for in the Australia vs Scotland 2024 T20I series.
#1 New opening pair for Australia
David Warner retired from international cricket after the 2024 T20 World Cup, leaving Travis Head to open the batting with a new partner.
Jake Fraser-McGurk is expected to make his T20I debut for Australia in the series opener. Earlier this year, the 22-year-old made his ODI debut against the West Indies, scoring 51 runs in two innings. He also joined the Delhi Capitals as a replacement for Lungi Ngidi ahead of the IPL 2024, where he had an impressive start, amassing 330 runs in nine games, including four fifties.
Meanwhile, Head has been in exceptional form and it will be intriguing to see how these two explosive batters perform for Australia in the series against Scotland.
#2 Performance of Brandon McMullen after a decent World Cup
Scotland had a commendable performance in the 2024 T20 World Cup, securing two wins, one loss, and one no-result, which left them tied with England on five points. However, England advanced to the next stage due to a superior run rate.
Brandon McMullen, 24, made a notable contribution to Scotland’s campaign. After a modest 19 runs against Namibia, he scored fifties in his subsequent two matches. His standout performance was an unbeaten 61 off 31 balls against Oman, earning him the Player of the Match award.
In the final group-stage match against Australia, McMullen added another fifty, scoring 60 off 34 balls with two fours and six sixes although Scotland ended up losing the game.
Overall, he amassed 140 runs in three innings at an average of 70.0, including two fifties. Scotland will be counting on a strong performance from their No. 3 batter in their upcoming match against Australia.
#3 Young pace attack of Australia
The Australian team will be missing their key bowlers, including Mitchell Starc, Pat Cummins, and Josh Hazlewood. Instead, they have opted for a young pace attack led by Nathan Ellis. The right-arm pacer has featured in 17 T20Is and has taken 28 wickets.
Ellis will be joined by Spencer Johnson and Riley Meredith. Johnson, who made his T20I debut in 2023 against South Africa, has played five matches, taking six wickets. Meredith, 28, has also appeared in five games, claiming eight wickets. It will be intriguing to see how the trio performs against Scotland.