2nd T20I: India win toss, opt to bowl first against Australia
Dec 06, 2020
Sydney [Australia], December 6 : India won the toss and elected to bowl first in the second T20I against Australia here at Sydney Cricket Ground on Sunday.
India had made a winning start to the three-match T20I series as they beat Australia by 11 runs in the first T20I in Canberra on Friday.
The Men in Blue have won each of their last nine completed T20Is- including two Super Overs and after winning the last game against Australia, they are looking forward to extending their winning streak with an aim to seal the series.
On the other, Australia, the current number two-ranked side in the ICC T20I Team Rankings, will look to find ways to counter the potent Indian batting order in a bid to level the series.
For India, Shardul Thakur, Yuzvendra Chahal, and Shreyas Iyer come in the squad while Mathew Wade is captaining Australia as Aaron Finch is excluded due to an injury. Also, Manish Pandey has pain in his left elbow and he misses out today.
Earlier in the day, Cricket Australia confirmed that pacer Mitchell Starc has withdrawn from the Australia T20I squad on compassionate grounds and will miss the remaining two games.
Marcus Stoinis, Daniel Sams, and Andrew Tye have also replaced Finch, Josh Hazlewood, and Starc respectively.
The left-handed bowler left the Australian team bio-bubble having been informed about a family illness and it hasn't been confirmed yet when he will rejoin the squad.
Australia playing XI: Marcus Stoinis, Matthew Wade (c, wk), Moises Henriques, D'Arcy Short, Glenn Maxwell, Steve Smith, Daniel Sams, Sean Abbott, Mitch Swepson, Andrew Tye, Adam Zampa
India Playing XI: Shikhar Dhawan, KL Rahul (wk), Virat Kohli (c), Shreyas Iyer, Sanju Samson, Hardik Pandya, Washington Sundar, Deepak Chahar, Shardul Thakur, Yuzvendra Chahal, Thangarasu Natarajan.
