England are taking on Australia today in a Super 12s showdown at the top Group 1 of the T20 World Cup. Both teams carry perfect records into this fixture, with England having bulldozed the West Indies and make pretty short work of Bangladesh too, while Australia have edged South Africa and seen off Sri Lanka. The winner of this one will take a major step towards the semi-finals.
There is of course the looming prospect of the Ashes in the background, with England set to head to Australia for the series start December as major underdogs, albeit boosted by the return to the side of Ben Stokes. Asked whether this match would have any bearing on the psychological battle Down Under, England captain Eoin Morgan was clear. “None whatsoever,” said Morgan, adding: “I think white-ball cricket has moved so far away from red-ball cricket that there’s just day and night between a psychological blow in one format in comparison to the other.” Then again, Australia fast-bowler Pat Cummins admitted: “It will be great to get one on the board against them early.”
The big boost for Australia is having David Warner back in form after smashing 65 off 42 balls against Sri Lanka, making the most of an early reprieve when dropped on 18. England’s bowling has been ruthless to this point, however, and he will be made to work harder for his runs today in Dubai. Follow all the latest updates below.
