Amid a glowing Test season, the T20Is have started to make their presence felt. The Major League Cricket just ended, the tri-series is just ramping it up in Zimbabwe and Australia and the West Indies after a gruelling three-match Test series are gearing up for five games in the shortest international format, with things going as far as the build-up for the next T20 World Cup is concerned. Australia haven't played a T20I series since November last year and even though the West Indies did it a month ago, they have holes to plug.
Australia have a bit different personnel with a couple of young all-rounders in their early 20s thrown in there and a couple of established all-rounders, including captain Mitch Marsh himself, who won't bowl. Australia have a few things to figure out, whether Marcus Stoinis fits in this line-up and that without Tim David, if they can do the finishing job right and of course, the bowling combination and if the big three will be available and fit for the tournament next year.
For the West Indies, the response has to be quick and immediate. Nicholas Pooran is no longer available, and Andre Russell is leaving the international scene after the first couple of T20Is against Australia. The West Indies have the T20 pedigree and the crop of players coming up, but they need to settle with them before the tournament next year. It is going to be an interesting series with two flawed sides but there are exciting players on both sides.
My Dream11 team for WI vs AUS 1st T20I
Mitch Marsh, Shimron Hetmyer, Sherfane Rutherford (c), Glenn Maxwell, Mitch Owen, Rovman Powell, Romario Shepherd, Andre Russell, Jason Holder, Nathan Ellis (vc), Adam Zampa
Playing XIs
West Indies (probable): Evin Lewis, Brandon King, Shai Hope(w/c), Shimron Hetmyer, Sherfane Rutherford, Rovman Powell, Romario Shepherd, Andre Russell, Jason Holder, Akeal Hosein, Alzarri Joseph
Australia: Mitch Marsh(c), Jake Fraser-McGurk, Josh Inglis(wk), Cameron Green, Glenn Maxwell, Mitch Owen, Cooper Connolly, Ben Dwarshuis, Sean Abbott, Nathan Ellis, Adam Zampa