England will lock horns against rivals Australia in the 36th match of the Men’s World Cup ODI 2023 in Ahmedabad on Sunday, 4th November. England are having a forgettable campaign, staring at an early exit from the tournament. The defending champions have won only one match and suffered five defeats in six matches. Australia have managed to turn their fortunes by winning four consecutive matches following two initial defeats on the trot. England are currently at the bottom of the points table whereas Australia are on the fourth spot.
In the Men’s World Cup ODI, England and Australia have faced off against each other nine times. Out of these nine games, Australia have won six whereas England emerged victorious on 3 occasions. Their last encounter between two rivals in the tournament was in the 2019 semi-final, where England defeated Australia by eight wickets. The upcoming match is expected to be exciting as England will look to bounce back following four consecutive defeats whereas Australia will aim to extend their unbeaten run in the tournament.
Players To Watch Out For
D Malan (ENG): After hitting a century against Bangladesh, D Malan wasn’t up to his best in the subsequent matches. In the last match against India, he scored only 16 off 17 balls in England’s 100-run defeat. Malan is the leading run-scorer for England in the Men’s World Cup ODI, aggregating 236 runs, including a century, at an average of 39.33 in six matches. Malan’s form has been a concern as he was unable to come up with big scores in the last four games of the tournament. However, D Malan can turn his fortunes in the upcoming match against Australia. The 36-year-old is an attacking batsman who can anchor the innings at the top. Malan will look to come up with goods against Aussies.
D Warner (AUS): D Warner is in impressive form in the ongoing Men’s World Cup ODI. In the last match against New Zealand, the 37-year-old played a knock of 81 off 65 balls at a strike rate of 124.62 to help Australia a solid total of 388 on the board. Warner also scored two consecutive centuries against Pakistan and the Netherlands. He is currently the second-leading run-scorer of the tournament, aggregating 413 runs, including two centuries and a fifty, at an average of 68.83 and strike rate of 112.53 in six matches. Warner’s form is crucial for Australia as they are fighting for the top 4 spots in order to qualify for the semifinal. D Warner will look to maintain his good form in the upcoming match against England.
C Woakes (ENG): C Woakes is one of the key bowlers for England in the Men’s World Cup ODI. In the last game against India, the 34-year-old scalped two wickets while conceding just 33 runs at an economy rate of 3.7 in his nine-over spell. He managed to come up with an impactful performance, restricting India to 229/9. However, Woakes effort went in vain as England lost the match by 100 runs. In this Men’s World Cup ODI, Waokes scalped four wickets at an economy rate of 6 in five matches. C Woakes has a good pace and can swing the ball in both ways. When he is in his rhythm, England’s pacer can be a threat to the opposition’s batsmen. Woakes will look to come up with another impactful performance in the upcoming match against Australia.
M Starc (AUS): M Starc is one of the key pacers for Australia in the ongoing Men’s World Cup ODI. The 33-year-old didn’t make a significant impact though Australia won the last match against New Zealand, as he conceded 89 runs without taking a wicket. It was for the first time that Starc went wicketless in a World Cup match. In this tournament, M Starc scalped seven wickets at an economy rate of 6.31 in six matches. Also, the Australian pacer is the joint-third highest wicket-taker in the World Cup, with 56 wickets. M Starc has a decent pace and his ability to reserve swing the ball can trouble the best batsmen in the world. After a forgetful outing against New Zealand, M Starc will look to take wickets in the upcoming match against England.
A Rashid (ENG): A Rashid is the only spin specialist England is relying on in the ongoing Men’s World Cup. In the last match against India, the 35-year-old scalped two wickets while conceding 35 runs at an economy rate of 3.5 in his full quota of 10 overs. In this tournament, A Rashid scalped 8 wickets at an economy rate of 5.14 in six matches. Rashid is the leading wicket-taker for England in ODIs with 23 in 21 matches. The experienced spinner can bowl in different variations, leaving the batsman confused. Rashid hasn’t been up to his best in the tournament, with an average of taking 1 wicket per match. However, Rashid can turn his game around in the upcoming against Australia.
Predicted Playing XI
ENG: J Bairstow, D Malan, J Root, B Stokes, J Butller (C/WK), M Ai, L Livingstone, C Waokes, D Willy, A Rashid, M Wood,
AUS: D Warner, T Head, S Smith, M Marsh, M Labuschagne, G Maxwell, A Carey (WK), P Cummins (C), M Starc, A Zampa, J Hazlewood
Fantasy Playing XI Picks
Wicketkeeper: J Buttler
Batsmen: D Warner (C), D Malan, T Head, J Bairstow, M Marsh
All-rounder: G Maxwell
Bowlers: P Cummins, A Rashid, M Starc, C Waokes,
Prediction
Australia is expected to continue their winning run in this fixture against England. Following two successive defeats, the Aussies have turned their tables around to win the next four matches in the tournament. Individual performances of the Australian players have been quite up to the mark, with each one of them contributing significantly in recent games. The Australian side is strong compared to England. Therefore, Australia will have an edge over England in the upcoming match.
