Australia vs England Prediction: Who will win today's T20 World Cup 2021 match?
Ben Stokes isn't part of England's squad for the 2021 T20 World Cup, but he might have had nightmares after watching Mitchell Starc's fiery yorker to Kusal Perera in Australia's previous game of the tournament.
Starc bowled a brilliant indipping yorker that was eerily similar to his dismissal of Stokes in the 2019 ODI World Cup, setting the stage for a comfortable Australian victory. With the win, the Kangaroos moved to second in the Group 1 points table, behind only England, who have a better run rate.
Australia and England face off in Match 26 of the T20 World Cup at the Dubai International Stadium on Saturday, October 30. The game will be massive in the context of the two semi-final spots, with both West Indies and South Africa notching up their first points of the competition recently. It will also serve as an interesting prelude to a highly anticipated Ashes series, although the T20 format is a completely different ball game altogether.
Even if the game had no significance in the bigger scheme of the T20 World Cup and the international cricket calendar, Australia vs England always promises to be a tightly fought encounter, with plenty of bragging rights on the line.
T20 World Cup 2021: Australia's pace battery meets England's batting arsenal
Despite hinting at a different arrangement before their first game of the 2021 T20 World Cup, Australia have gone in with three frontline pacers - Josh Hazlewood, Pat Cummins and Starc. Their approach has not only lengthened their batting but also given them a serious wicket-taking threat throughout the innings.
Australia's fearsome pace battery will meet their biggest test yet in the form of England's power-packed batting lineup, although the pitch in Dubai may not be as conducive to batting as both teams would like. Jason Roy and Jos Buttler have come up with some vital contributions recently, with Moeen Ali and Jonny Bairstow appearing to be in decent nick as well.
Meanwhile, England's bowling attack isn't to be balked at either. Tymal Mills' recall to the side has gone swimmingly, with Moeen turning out to be an excellent powerplay option. Chris Woakes has supported the off-spinner admirably from the other end, with even Liam Livingstone coming up with key breakthroughs.
David Warner struck form in the previous game, but the southpaw will have to be on his toes against a potent English unit. While Australia bat deep, none of their batters barring Marcus Stoinis and Steve Smith have been consistent in the T20 World Cup so far. More importantly, they've been a touch devoid of answers against spin, especially when Glenn Maxwell has been dismissed cheaply.
Australia and England are very well-matched on paper, so predicting a winner for this clash isn't easy. It will come down to how the pitch plays, and if it's a slow wicket, the Three Lions will have a significant advantage. If the strip in Dubai offers some lateral movement and comes onto the bat well, Australia might fancy their chances more.
This one is a bit too close to call, and the chasing team will have a significant advantage in Dubai. Given the two teams' recent form and team composition, England might be extremely slight favorites. Not only do they have a more versatile bowling attack, but they also seem better equipped for the conditions in the UAE.
Prediction: England to win Match 26 of the T20 World Cup