T20 World Cup LIVE: Australia hold key to England’s fate in clash with Scotland

The surprise move to open the bowling with Ashton Agar, with the left arm spinner claiming as wicket from last ball of the first over.

Bowling arm balls drifting into the right hard, Michael Jones attempted to force a ball that followed him through the off side and chopped it into his stumps.

Scotland: 1-3 from 1 over

In a dramatic move spinner Ashton Agar is opening the bowling against Scotland! It comes with Pat Cummins and Josh Hazlewood resting.

T20 captain Mitch Marsh has become the latest player to bat away suggestions that Australia will attempt to push England out of the T20 World Cup by playing dead against Scotland.

Australia have already qualified for the next stage and a Scottish victory would also put them through to the super eights ahead of England, who are currently second in Group B on run rate. The top two teams from all four groups go through to the next round.

“We’ll approach it the same as any other game. It’s a World Cup game,” Marsh said. “We’ve got a lot of respect for Scotland, it should be a hard fought contest. We’re playing for Australia, and we’re here to win.”

Marsh confirmed that Pat Cummins and Josh Hazlewood were simply resting, with Cummins coming off a heavy IPL schedule and Hazlewood playing all three matches in the tournament to date.

“If things go well over the next couple of weeks we’ve got a heavy schedule. Paddy’s played a lot of cricket, and it also gives us a chance to give Ashton (Agar) a game in this World Cup.”

Australia will bowl first without key pace bowlers Pat Cummins and Josh Hazlewood, who have been rested.

They have been replaced by Mitchell Starc, who has overcome soreness to his left calf, and spinner Ashton Agar.

Australia can and most likely will put England through to the next stage of the T20 World Cup with victory today in St Lucia.

England survived yet another scare early this morning when rain delayed the start of their last Group B match against Namibia before setting up a comfortable victory in a rain-shorted game.

Having already has a washout against Scotland to start the tournament and a loss to Australia, another washout would have spelt disaster for England.

However, they have now moved into second place in Group B above Scotland on run rate, meaning that Scotland must beat undefeated Australia to regain second place and prevent England from going through to the Super Eights stage, where the top two teams from all through groups make up the next round.

With Australia already qualified for the Super Eights their match against Scotland is of no consequence, raising fears from England’s cricket commentariat that Australia may play dead against Scotland to tip out England.

Josh Hazlewood poured fuel on the fire in recent days by claiming it would be to Australia’s advantage if England failed to go through.

However fellow pace ace Pat Cummins insisted Hazlewood was joking and it would be against the spirt of cricket for Australia to go anything less than full throttle.

The United States and Afghanistan have created major upsets push established Test teams out of the T20 World Cup. Pakistan, New Zealand and Sri Lanka are all out of the tournament.

A remarkable super over victory against Pakistan last week left the unrated USA second in their group, with a washout in their last Group A match enough to second them through to the super eights with India.

Afghanistan top Group C with the West Indies also unbeaten after three matches. They play each other on Tuesday morning (AEST) but will both go through, leaving New Zealand in their wake.

South Africa finished unbeaten on the top of Group D, once again highlighting the contrast between their white and red ball cricket, although they beat Nepal by just one run in their last match. Bangladesh look destine to finish second baring a Netherlands miracle, while Sri Lanka are winless on the bottom of the group below Nepal.

Australia’s T20 captain Mitchell Marsh will have mixed feelings returning to Daren Sammy Stadium in, St Lucia.

The powerful allrounder was promoted to No.3 and dominated for Australia as the leading run scorer with 219 runs, including three half centuries, in 2021 the Covid-era five matches series all played at the same ground. He averaged 44 with a top score of 75 and finished with a strike rate of 152.

He was also Australia’s leading wicket-taker with eight at an average of 11 and an economy rate of 113.

However, following mass withdrawals ahead of tour, a weakened Australia lost the series 4-1.

He is yet to bowl in this tournament following hamstring issues.