T20: Clash of the favourites
BARBADOS:
Australia will be taking on India in the first Group F match of the Super 8 stage at 6:30 pm (PST) on Friday.
Australia and India are the two favourites to win the tournament. Both teams came through the pool stage undefeated, along with West Indies and New Zealand, and for whoever loses this game, the campaign is far from over.
But it will provide a very interesting form guide, considering the final will be played at the the same venue.
India have had a week off following their double-header in Saint Lucia, while Australia have been given a taste of the quicker conditions in Barbados during their victory over Bangladesh on Wednesday.
It could give Michael Clarke's men a slight advantage and their pace trio of Dirk Nannes, Shaun Tait and, either Mitchell Johnson or Ryan Harris, should be fired up against the stronger opposition.
They find themselves facing an outfit that includes Suresh Raina, who has just become one of four century-makers in Twenty20 internationals, and the likes of Harbhajan Singh and Gautam Gambhir, who often seem to lift against Australia.
Whichever team escapes with points from this game will take a big confidence boost, while the loser will hope to turn things around against Sri Lanka and West Indies to find a way through to the semi-finals.
Australia will be taking on India in the first Group F match of the Super 8 stage at 6:30 pm (PST) on Friday.
Australia and India are the two favourites to win the tournament. Both teams came through the pool stage undefeated, along with West Indies and New Zealand, and for whoever loses this game, the campaign is far from over.
But it will provide a very interesting form guide, considering the final will be played at the the same venue.
India have had a week off following their double-header in Saint Lucia, while Australia have been given a taste of the quicker conditions in Barbados during their victory over Bangladesh on Wednesday.
It could give Michael Clarke's men a slight advantage and their pace trio of Dirk Nannes, Shaun Tait and, either Mitchell Johnson or Ryan Harris, should be fired up against the stronger opposition.
They find themselves facing an outfit that includes Suresh Raina, who has just become one of four century-makers in Twenty20 internationals, and the likes of Harbhajan Singh and Gautam Gambhir, who often seem to lift against Australia.
Whichever team escapes with points from this game will take a big confidence boost, while the loser will hope to turn things around against Sri Lanka and West Indies to find a way through to the semi-finals.