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• Ellis inclusion in Australia attack 'important' for T20 World Cup chances, says former skipper Paine

  Nathan Ellis should be utilised in Australia's first-choice attack to boost their chances of T20 World Cup success, according to former skipper Tim Paine.

  Despite impressing in his 14 appearances, Ellis has struggled to establish a regular spot in Australia's T20 side - notably missing out on selection for the 2022 World Cup - while he only featured once for Punjab Kings during the 2024 Indian Premier League.

  However, the 29-year-old boasts the second-best powerplay economy (7.08) in all T20s since 2020 within Australia's World Cup squad - behind only Josh Hazlewood (6.58) - while he comfortably boasts the strongest record at the death (overs 17 to 20) during that span (8.88)

  Paine believes Mitchell Starc, who played a starring role in the Kolkata Knight Riders' IPL success, and Adam Zampa should lead his nation's attack, along with Ellis - ahead of the likes of Hazlewood and Pat Cummins.

  "I think Australia have a great opportunity, and I hope they take it in this World Cup, and that is to pick Nathan Ellis. He would be my third quick," he told ESPN.

  "He's got a different skillset, comes from a different angle, different height, and I think some variety in the attack will be really important to win this World Cup.

  "His international record for the opportunities that he's been given is outstanding, and I think now is the right time.

  "That's not to say they [Cummins and Hazlewood] are not the best couple of bowlers in the country; they are outstanding bowlers, and will continue to be. I just think Nathan Ellis complements the rest of that attack really, really well."

  Australia - winners of the tournament in 2021 - are drawn in Group B alongside England, Scotland, Oman and Namibia.

• West Indies dominate short-handed Australia in final warm-up ahead of T20 World Cup

  In a powerful display of batting prowess, the West Indies sent a strong message to their T20 World Cup competitors with a commanding 35-run victory over a depleted Australian side in their final warm-up match at Queen's Park Oval on Friday night.

  Blistering half-centuries from Nicholas Pooran and Rovman Powell highlighted the West Indies' innings, propelling them to a formidable total of 257 for 4 in their 20 overs. Pooran was particularly destructive, smashing 75 from just 25 balls, including five sixes in a mere six balls against Australian spinners Ashton Agar and Adam Zampa.

  Powell continued the onslaught with a quick-fire 52 from 25 balls, ensuring the West Indies maintained an aggressive tempo throughout their innings. Sherfane Rutherford added the finishing touches with an unbeaten 47 from just 18 deliveries.

  Australia, struggling with a short-handed team for the second consecutive match, fielded only nine players, supplemented by coaches and selectors acting as substitute fielders. The absence of key players and the late arrival of allrounder Marcus Stoinis, whose kit was delayed in Miami, further hampered their performance.

  Despite the challenges, Nathan Ellis showed promise with the ball, claiming 2 for 42 from his four overs. However, the Australian bowlers were otherwise put to the sword, with Zampa conceding 62 runs and Josh Hazlewood 55 in their respective spells.

  Sent in to bat, West Indies got off to a quick start with Shai Hope and Johnson Charles laying the foundation. Pooran then took centre-stage, hitting the first three legal deliveries he faced for sixes and maintaining a high strike rate. His half-century came off just 16 balls, demonstrating his aggressive intent. Although Borovec dropped a catch off Pooran, it didn’t prove too costly as Bailey managed to dismiss him shortly after.

  Powell continued the momentum with a brutal assault on Zampa and Agar, who conceded 120 runs between them. Tim David, in a rare role as a bowler, managed to be the least expensive with figures of 1 for 40 from four overs.

  Chasing 258, Australia’s reply was spirited but ultimately fell short at 222 for 7. Josh Inglis top-scored with a brisk 55 off 30 balls, but the lack of depth in the batting lineup was evident. In a surprising move, Agar opened the batting and contributed 28 off 13 balls, but the rest of the lineup failed to capitalize.

  David Warner, who missed the recent Australia-West Indies Test series, was bowled for 15 by Shamar Joseph after a brief flurry of boundaries. Mitchell Marsh, playing in his preferred No.3 position, was dismissed cheaply, and while David and Matthew Wade managed 25 runs each, they couldn't keep pace with the required run rate.

  Gudakesh Motie was instrumental in stemming the flow of runs during the middle overs, finishing with figures of 2 for 31, including the key wickets of Inglis and David. Ellis provided some late resistance with a quick 39, sharing a 51-run stand with Zampa, who remained unbeaten on 21.

  The West Indies' dominant performance, spearheaded by Pooran and Powell, sets a confident tone ahead of the T20 World Cup.

  The T20 World Cup kicks off on Saturday, and the West Indies' emphatic win serves as a strong warning to their rivals as they aim for glory on the global stage.

   

   

   

   

   

   

   

   

• 'Good feeling around England squad' ahead of T20 World Cup, says Buttler

  Jos Buttler says there is a "good feeling" around the England squad, following their pre-T20 World Cup series win over Pakistan.

  The reigning champions, who begin their title defence against Scotland in Barbados on Tuesday, completed their preparations with a seven-wicket victory at The Oval wrapping up a 2-0 series win.

  It was a disrupted series with washouts preventing the T20Is in Leeds and Cardiff, but England finished it on a high, successfully chasing down Pakistan's total of 157 with 27 balls remaining.

  Although the tourists were looking good at 59-0 within the first six overs, the pendulum swung in the hosts' favour as Adil Rashid and Jofra Archer quickly bowled Mohammad Rizwan and Babar Azam.

  Buttler (39) and Phil Salt (45) then led the way in England's successful chase on the day of the former's record-breaking 116th T20I for his country, surpassing Eoin Morgan.

  And despite playing two fewer games than scheduled in the series, the skipper feels the squad are in good shape ahead of their World Cup defence. 

  "We have worked hard in training and there is a good feeling around the squad," he said. "Guys are all stepping up and performing.

  "It would have been nice to get two more games in to expose a few guys to different situations, but we have really good experience in the group and a lot of guys have been playing in the IPL, so we are not short of cricket."

  Of his own performance, he added: "I have a quest to keep improving, trying to work on a few different things in my game that I haven't been doing. That is giving me fresh energy and motivation.

  "It went well for five or six overs but then I got out. The middle order needs to step up," Pakistan skipper Babar Azam said, with his nation beginning their World Cup campaign against the United States on Thursday.

  "We need to sort out those things for the World Cup. We have a few injuries, but there are a lot of positives. Our play is good in patches."