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Starc added, Aussies hunt landmark T20 win

Billy Stanlake's ankle injury has prompted Australia to call up Mitchell Starc for their Twenty20 series finale against India in Sydney.

Mitchell Starc
Mitchell Starc has been called into the Australian T20 squad for the final match with India. (AAP)

Australia will unleash Mitchell Starc, one of the world's best white-ball bowlers, as they seek to record a maiden Twenty20 series win over India.

Billy Stanlake's sprained ankle, sustained when he tripped over the boundary rope while warming up for Friday night's washout at the MCG, has prompted selectors to parachute Starc into the squad for Sunday's series finale in Sydney.

Australia have never beaten India, winners of the inaugural T20 World Cup and widely regarded as masters of the shortest format since the advent of the Indian Premier League, in a T20 series.

The addition of Starc, left out of Australia's original squad because selectors wanted him to focus on preparing for the first Test against the same opposition, will bolster their bid of changing that streak.

"It's nice. He's obviously got so much experience in limited-overs games," captain Aaron Finch said at the SCG.

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"We've seen how dominant he can be when he gets it right.

"Winning the series is obviously huge and means a lot to us."

The opening two games were both affected by wet weather but Finch's side hold a 1-0 lead thanks to their four-run win in Brisbane.

Batting problems have been a near-constant hassle for Australia throughout this year in every format.

There was more of the same at the MCG, where play was abandoned after the hosts reached 7-132 in 19 overs.

Finch was dismissed for a golden duck and the top order crumbled as Australia slipped to 5-62 before Nathan Coulter-Nile and Ben McDermott landed some counter-punches.

Finch has scored 96 runs from his past 10 innings for Australia, a slump that includes seven T20s.

"Something's going wrong," Finch said.

"T20 is a game where if you take a risk early and get out a couple of times it can build up.

"But it's still a game where you're looking to take them on at the start.

"I've been in this position before and it's not alarming ... I played reasonably well in Brisbane and got off to a decent start, just didn't kick on.

"In this format you're one shot away from everything just clicking back into gear."

Finch's opening partner D'Arcy Short, who has scored a combined 37 runs from his past six T20 digs for Australia, is also searching for form.

"He smacked us around the other day when we had a big session in Brisbane, I don't think he's far off," paceman Jason Behrendorff said.

"They (Australia's batsmen) are doing everything they can to get better."

Stanlake, whose stop-start career has been repeatedly stalled by injuries, is set to return during the Big Bash League.


3 min read

Published

Source: AAP



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