T20

 The victory means the two teams will do it all again on Tuesday in the first qualifier. 

 The Amazon Warriors won the toss and opted to field first, and that proved to be an inspired decision. On a fresh surface, their seamers wreaked havoc taking three wickets inside the PowerPlay to leave the Royals in disarray.

Wickets continued to fall at regular intervals and the 125 the Royals mustered was never likely to be enough on a track that offered good value for positive stroke play. 

The Royals were able to take two early wickets of their own when they had their turn to bowl restricting the Amazon Warriors to 18-2 but that was as good as it got. 

 Shakib Al-Hasan produced a scintillating half-century to put the Amazon Warriors on the cusp of victory and the remaining batters saw the chase home to win the game inside 15 overs.

 Earlier Guyana Amazon Warriors had utilised the movement on offer to unleash their cadre of seamers on the Royals. Romario Shepherd, Keemo Paul and Odean Smith all weighed in with wickets to leave the Royals 97-9 and it was only late cameos from Ramon Simmonds and Mujeeb Ur Rahman that enabled the Royals to post 125.

 Although the Amazon Warriors lost Chandrapaul Hemraj and Shai Hope in the PowerPlay, Shakib played an enterprising innings to take the drama out of the chase. His knock of 53 came off 30 balls and laid the foundation for the Amazon Warriors to win with five over to spare.

 The two sides will now do battle again in the first qualifier on Tuesday to determine who will earn the right to go straight to the Hero CPL final.

Scores: Guyana Amazon Warriors 126-5 (Shakib 53, Gurbaz 22; McCoy 2-22, Mayers 1-20) beat Barbados Royals 125 (Holder 42, Khan 20; Shepherd 3-14, Paul 2-9) by 5 wickets.

His 65 off just 19 balls for the Colombo Kings late last week, made news around the world further enhancing the Jamaican’s reputation as one of the world’s best T20 players.

However, not everyone is happy that the Jamaican is playing in Sri Lanka after declining an invitation to represent the West Indies during the recent T20 series in New Zealand where the West Indies lost 2-0.  The third match was washed out.

Among them is former West Indies fast bowler Sir Curtly Ambrose, who believes Cricket West Indies, needs to review its decision to allow players like Russell to represent the regional side only when it suits them to do so. CWI CEO Johnny Grave recently explained that Russell received a No-Objection Certificate to play in the Lankan Premier League because the player does not a centralized contract with CWI.

That situation has rankled the fast-bowling great.

“The guys who are in control, in authority, have to decide to make some serious decisions and stick with it for the cricket to move forward. I think that we are going about this thing too casual. Guys can do what they feel, come into the team when they feel like, go to ply their trade to the different franchises, leave West Indies cricket for dead and then come back into the team,” Ambrose said while speaking on Mason & Guest radio show in Barbados on Tuesday.

“To me, that is a no-no. We have to show some form of commitment to West Indies cricket. We have to make some drastic and hard decisions and stick with it and the cricket can get better.”

Chief selector Roger Harper said Russell declined the invitation to represent the West Indies citing the need to clear his mind after being in quarantine lockdown for both the Caribbean Premier League in Trinidad and Tobago where he played for the Jamaica Tallawahs franchise and then, the Indian Premier League in Abu Dhabi where he played for the Kolkata Knight Riders.

Ambrose said while he is not opposed to the player taking a break, once he returned to cricket, his priority should have been the West Indies.

 “Because he wants to clear his head for a while to get his mind together, I have no problem with that because cricket is a high-pressure game. So if you want to clear your head for a while, take your mind off cricket I have no issues with that, but if you are going to reject playing for your nation, your country, and then two weeks later you’re playing for somebody else, that to me is a no-no,” Ambrose said.

“Where is the commitment? That tells me that you don’t want to play for the West Indies. If that is the case, just say so.”

Fletcher was a member of the West Indies T20 squad that lost three three-match series against New Zealand 2-0. He will replace England’s Jonny Bairstow, who is unavailable due to international duty.

"I'm really looking forward to coming over to the Melbourne Stars and being part of what should be an exciting season ahead," Fletcher said.

“Hopefully, I can bring my brand of batting and recent form to the Stars during the BBL."

Stars head coach David Hussey believes Fletcher’s talents will be an asset to the club.

"We're glad Andre was in a position to join us and he'll bring plenty of power and entertainment at the top of the batting order. Andre is a former T20 World Cup winner with the West Indies so he knows what it takes to succeed in major tournaments and I'm confident he'll be a great asset around our group," Hussey said.

Fletcher brings extensive experience to the Melbourne Stars having played in the Caribbean Premier League, the Bangladesh Premier League, and the Pakistan Super League.

He will join Nicholas Pooran who has also been signed with the club for the coming season.

Chasing Comilla Victorians’ score of 182-5, Fletcher and fellow opener Mahedia Hasan made relatively light work of the target with an opening stand of 182. Fletcher mixed caution with aggression hitting six sixes and six fours in the 62 balls he faced for his 101.

Hasan smashed 74 from 49 balls with six fours and four sixes before he was dismissed by Moeen Ali in the 19^th over with the scores level.

Earlier, Faf du Plessis hit 12 fours and four sixes in his of 101 from just 54 balls to propel his side to 182 from their 20 overs. Opener Mahmudul Hasan Joy scored 30 while there was some late hitting from Mahidul Islam Ankon, who hit two sixes in his 11-ball 20 in what looked like a winning score before Fletcher’s Player of the Match performance.

The win moved Khulna Tigers into fourth place on 10 points while the defeat meant Comilla Victorians remain in second with 13 points.

Batting first, Kolkata Knight Riders posted a formidable total of 222 for 6 in their 20 overs. Shreyas Iyer starred with the bat, scoring a brisk 50, while opener Phil Salt provided a flying start with his explosive 48. The middle order contributed crucial runs, setting up a challenging target for Royal Challengers Bengaluru.

Chasing 223 for victory, Royal Challengers Bengaluru got off to a solid start with Will Jacks (55) and Rajat Patidar (52) leading the charge. Despite losing wickets at regular intervals, Bengaluru remained in contention throughout the innings.

The match took a dramatic turn in the final over bowled by Mitchell Starc. With Royal Challengers Bengaluru needing 20 runs to win, Starc was under immense pressure. Will Jacks launched a fierce assault, smashing three consecutive sixes to bring the equation down to three runs needed off two balls.

Starc, unfazed by the onslaught, kept his composure and executed a crucial wicket-taking delivery to dismiss Karn Sharma. Starc dived low to his right to complete a stunning catch off his own bowling, swinging the momentum back in Kolkata's favor.

In the ultimate twist of fate, with Royal Challengers Bengaluru needing three runs off the final delivery to secure victory, Ramandeep Singh hit the ball to deep point. A misfield raised hopes of a potential match-tying boundary, but Phil Salt displayed exceptional athleticism and awareness behind the stumps. Salt collected the ball and executed a lightning-quick run-out of Lockie Ferguson, denying Bengaluru the opportunity to force a Super Over.

Andre Russell emerged as the hero of the match for Kolkata Knight Riders. Russell not only contributed a vital 27 runs with the bat but also turned the tide in Kolkata's favor with his outstanding bowling performance. Russell claimed three crucial wickets, including the prized scalps of Jacks and Patidar as well that of the dangerous closer Dinesh Karthik for 25 in the penultimate over, which ultimately proved decisive.

"I always back my bowling. Getting the ball in a crucial time, I know I have to come good. Happy for the two points,” Russell remarked after the match.

“When I was batting earlier, change-ups were difficult to hit. As a bowler, that is what I tried - length ball, slower cutters, it was gripping on the surface. I was happy to get the two set batters out and that's what changed the game. When I look at the bowling equation, Harshith had one, Starcy had one, I had two. So my aim was to bowl an important over and give Starcy as much to defend. I was looking to bowl six deliveries at DK and mixing up with the short ones and slower ones. Worked well tonight."

The thrilling contest between Kolkata Knight Riders and Royal Challengers Bengaluru showcased the captivating nature of T20 cricket, with every moment charged with excitement and tension. Kolkata emerged victorious by the slimmest of margins, underscoring the fine margins that separate triumph from heartbreak in the IPL.

The 33-year-old allrounder last played in the BBL in 2017 after three seasons with Sydney Thunder. He opens his account for the Stars against the Thunder Friday.

"To have someone of Andre's quality play for the Melbourne Stars is a huge signing for our club," Stars coach David Hussey said. "I can't wait to work with him in the time that he's here and look forward to his debut on Friday night."

Russell arrives in Melbourne in sparkling form. On Sunday, in the final Abu Dhabi T10 League, Russell hit nine fours and seven sixes in a 32-ball unbeaten score of 90 as the Gladiators (159-0) defeated the Delhi Bulls by 56 runs to win the 2021 title.

Known for adding energy and entertainment to the dressing room, West Indian cricketers have a history of making their mark beyond the cricket field, with stars like Chris Gayle, DJ Bravo, Kieron Pollard, and Darren Sammy shining in the IPL. The latest to join this list is Andre Russell, the dynamic KKR sensation.

Russell is stepping into the music world by lending his vocals to a song composed by Palaash Muchhal. He will also be featured alongside actress Avika Gor in the accompanying music video.

What makes Russell's foray into music even more exciting is the backing of Bollywood titan Shahrukh Khan, the owner of Kolkata Knight Riders. Known for his larger-than-life persona, SRK is not just a team owner but also a key figure in the entertainment industry. Russell and SRK share a strong camaraderie, often seen enjoying each other's company and having fun moments together.

Recently, a video of Russell singing SRK's iconic song "Lut Put Gaya" from the movie 'Dunki' went viral, showcasing his passion for music. With SRK's support and Russell's infectious energy, fans can anticipate an exciting collaboration between the cricket star and the Bollywood icon.

Andre Russell's venture into Bollywood music adds a new dimension to his versatile talents and promises to be a delightful treat for his fans in India and across the globe.

The PSL conducted a replacement draft for the six teams in order to complete their squads ahead of the resumption of the 2021 tournament, which had been suspended after 14 matches due to spikes in the number of Covid-19 infections in that country.

In the draft, Russell, who is currently playing for Kolkata Knight Riders in the Indian Premier League, was selected by the Quetta Gladiators, who have lost Tom Banton and Dale Steyn.

Peshawar Zalmi picked up Allen, Rovman Powell and Fidel Edwards as replacements for Mujeeb Ur Rahman, Liam Livingston, Tom Kohler-Cadmore and Saquib Mahmood.

Meanwhile, the Multan Sultans pick Obed McCoy along with George Linde, Rahmanullah Gurbaz and Mahmudullah as replacements for Carlos Brathwaite, Adam Lyth, James Vince and Chris Lynn.

The remainder of the tournament will be played in June, with all matches in Karachi, in a bio-security bubble being put in place by a UK-based company. The teams will assemble by May 23 to begin their mandatory seven-day quarantine, and action will resume on June 2, with the final on June 20.

Batting first, Fortune Barishul made 129-8 thanks mainly to 36 from Chris Gayle and 33 from Dwayne Bravo. Shakib al Hasan contributed 23. Russell was the best of the bowlers picking up 2-27 from his four overs while Isuru Udana took 2-29.

Needing 130 for victory, MGD seemed destined for their third straight defeat after losing four wickets for 10 runs inside three overs as Alzarri Joseph 2-30 and Shafiqul Islam tore through the top order.

Captain Mahmudullah and Shuvagata Hom brought the chase back on track with a fifth-wicket stand of 69 that was broken by Bravo who dismissed Hom for 29.

Mahmudullah and Russell then posted 50 in 31 balls with Russell racing to his unbeaten 31 from just 15 balls with three fours and two sixes. Shakib broke the partnership when he dismissed Mahmudullah for 47 with the scores level.

Udana took a single from the first ball he faced to seal the victory.

The win means MGD are fifth in the standings with their first two points.

Chattogram Challengers leads the standings with four points having won two of their first three games.

Archer spent over a year on the sidelines nursing an elbow injury following a recurrence of a stress fracture that ruled him out of summer cricket 12 months ago.

The 29-year-old has taken five wickets for Matthew Molt's side, the latest coming in their 41-run triumph over Namibia as they progressed to the Super 8 stage following Australia's win over Scotland. 

"We were in and out looking at the weather and Jofra was asleep on the bench - he's in a really good place," said Buttler.

"I’m just delighted to see him back in an England shirt playing on the big stage."

Archer's struggles with injury have persisted for the last three years, missing England's 2023 Ashes series against the Aussies. 

The fast bowler played a pivotal role in Three Lions' ODI World Cup success in 2019, and has recaptured that form which saw him take 20 wickets during that tournament.

Archer has captured a wicket in each of England's World Cup fixtures, averaging an economy rate of 5.91, only bettered by Reece Topley (3.60). 

Buttler has been impressed with the 29-year-old's form in the opening stages of the tournament, but revealed his progress has exceeded his expectations. 

"He’s been fantastic and is an amazing guy to have in the team to throw the ball to," said Buttler.

"He’s exceeded certainly my expectations for where he would be at. He was probably expecting that of himself."

The problem forced Archer to miss the final three Tests of the four-match series with the Proteas.

In his absence, England overturned a 1-0 deficit, winning in Cape Town, Port Elizabeth and Johannesburg to clinch the series 3-1.

The England and Wales Cricket Board (ECB) confirmed on Wednesday that Archer had returned home to focus on regaining fitness, the decision likely made with an eye on the two-match Test series in Sri Lanka in March.

Archer will be replaced in the squad by Saqib Mahmood, who - along with Olly Stone and Craig Overton - became one of the first recipients of a pace bowling development contract from the ECB on Wednesday.

The three-match T20I series starts on February 12 at Buffalo Park in East London. England will first contest a three-match ODI series, with the series opener taking place at Newlands on Tuesday.

Elbow and back issues have kept Archer from playing almost entirely since his last appearance for England in the T20I series in India in March 2021.

The seamer's previous competitive game was in July 2021 when he played for Sussex against Kent in a T20 Blast encounter, with his only recent outing being for the England Lions in a warm-up game in South Africa in November.

Turning out for MI Cape Town against Paarl Royals in the SA20 on Tuesday, Archer took 3-27 from his four overs, which included a maiden and 12 dot balls.

The 27-year-old dismissed Wihan Lubbe with just his third delivery, before also claiming the wickets of David Miller and Ferisco Adams with successive balls in his third over.

Despite Archer's international team-mate Jos Buttler top-scoring with 51 from 42 balls for the Royals, MI Cape Town were able to secure an eight-wicket win thanks in the main to an unbeaten knock of 70 from Dewald Brevis.

England Test captain Ben Stokes tweeted earlier on Tuesday to say he was: "Buzzing to see @JofraArcher back on the field".

Managing director of England men's cricket Rob Key had previously indicated that Archer would play two games in the SA20, before coming into consideration for England's ODI series in South Africa, which starts on January 27 in Bloemfontein.

Jos Buttler's unbeaten half-century in the first innings was enough to help the Royals hold off a dramatic late CSK rally led by MS Dhoni and Ravindra Jadeja.

But the decision was made by umpires Virender Sharma and Vinod Seshan to change the ball in the 12th over of the hosts' losing chase.

Though the officials are within the laws of the game to do so, Ashwin acknowledged he was frustrated by the move after the Royals did not ask for it to be swapped.

"I'm quite surprised the umpires changed the ball for dew on their own," he said. "It's never happened before and I'm quite surprised.

"Some of the decisions in this year's IPL on the field have left me a little flummoxed, to be honest. It left me flummoxed in a good or bad way because what you need is a little bit of balance.

"We're going as a bowling team and we're not asking for the ball to be changed. But the ball was changed on the umpire's accord. I did ask the umpire, but he said we can change it.

"So I hope every time there's dew they can change it every single time going forward in this IPL. You can do whatever you want, but you need to be standard."

Ashwin is not the first player to criticise the decision-making process by umpires, with Punjab Kings' Sam Curran voicing his displeasure over ball changes.

The Royals are currently top of the IPL standings, having picked up three wins from their first four games this season.

Moeen Ali breezed to a 19-ball half-century as the Super Kings raced to 75-1 at the end of the powerplay, but they did not capitalise on their early impetus in Mumbai on Friday.

Spinners Yuzvendra Chahal (2-26) and Obed McCoy (2-20) were the pick of the bowlers to peg back Chennai, with MS Dhoni (26) the only other batter to pass 20 in support of Ali (93) in the Super Kings' 150-6.

Jos Buttler fell for just two to Simarjeet Singh (1-18) in response, before Sanju Samson (15) followed to Mitchell Santner (1-15) and Ali bowled Devdutt Padikkal (3) to leave the Royals 76-3 in the 12th over.

Opener Yashasvi Jaiswal batted on as his partners fell, making 59 off 44 balls before being dismissed by Prashant Solanki, with Rajasthan requiring a further 47 to win from the last five overs.

Solanki soon added the dangerous Shimron Hetmyer (6) to his list of scalps, but Ashwin – promoted up the order – took charge of the chase to see his side over the line with two balls to spare.

Victory meant Rajasthan will have two chances in the playoffs to make the final on May 29. Lucknow Super Giants must settle for third place.

Ali efforts in vain

All eyes were on Buttler, who leads the run charts with 629 in this year's IPL, but it was England team-mate Ali who delivered a scintillating performance at the Brabourne Stadium.

The 34-year-old fell in the final over just seven short of a century after a tremendous 57-ball innings that included 13 fours and three sixes.

He then superbly posted figures of 1-21 with the ball from his four-over allocation – but his efforts ultimately proved in vain, with Ashwin's 40 from 23 proving decisive.

Chahal equals spin record

Chahal once again edged ahead of Royal Challengers Bangalore's Wanindu Hasaranga in the battle to be the competition's top wicket-taker.

The Royals' leg-spinner picked up two wickets, while going at just 6.5 an over, and equalled Imran Tahir's tally of 26 (in 2019) for the most wickets by a spinner in a single IPL season.

Cricket Australia (CA) announced Starc's withdrawal on Sunday – the day of the second T20 in Sydney – after the star bowler was informed about a family illness.

It remains to be seen when Starc will re-join the Australia squad ahead of their opening Test against India in Adelaide on December 17.

"There is nothing in the world more important than family and in this case Mitch is no exception," said Australia head coach Justin Langer.

"We will give Mitch all the time he needs and welcome him back into the squad with open arms whenever he feels the time is right for him and his family."

Starc, who missed the third and final ODI in Canberra due to injury niggles, returned for Friday's 11-run loss to India in the first T20.

The 30-year-old finished with 2-34, having produced combined figures of 1-149 in the 50-over series.

The hosts and reigning champions posted 134-5 in a match at first delayed and then truncated by rain, with the earlier semi-final between England and India having been a washout.

While Australia were able to bat their full allocation, their opponents were limited to 13 overs and required 98 runs.

However, they were only able to reach 92-5 as Australia won by five runs, with maiden finalists India up next in Melbourne on Sunday.

Captain Meg Lanning led by example with an unbeaten 49, while disciplined bowling from Megan Schutt (2-17 off three overs) helped to limit a South Africa side for whom Laura Wolvaardt top-scored on 41.

Having won the opener – also in Sydney – by 20 runs, Sunday's match looked to be in Australia's control after they posted 164-6 after batting first.

Captain Aaron Finch (25) and 48 from Josh Inglis carried the hosts to 112-4 before late flurries from Marcus Stoinis (19) and Matthew Wade, who hit 13 off just four deliveries.

After Danushka Gunathilaka thumped a Josh Hazlewood ball straight to the waiting Ben McDermott, Inglis leapt to his left to catch a drive from Avishka Fernando in the third over, and Sri Lankan hopes looked forlorn indeed when Pat Cummins skittled Charith Asalanka for a duck.

Yet Pathum Nissanka maintained composure to build Sri Lanka's score. He smashed 73 off only 53 balls, including nine boundaries, while captain Dasun Shanaka added 34 from 19 deliveries before being run out by a brilliant Steve Smith throw.

It was Stoinis who eventually ended Nissanka's stand, his full toss swung towards deep square where Cummins claimed a fine catch, but Maheesh Theekshana promptly hit a six from the next ball despite Smith nearly concussing himself in a desperate attempt to save it.

In an extraordinary finish, Dushmantha Chameera then thumped another full toss from Stoinis straight down the ground for four to force the eliminator, for which Hazlewood was chosen for the Australia attack.

It proved a wise choice. Sri Lanka managed 5-1, with Dinesh Chandimal run out by Glenn Maxwell, allowing Stoinis to settle the contest with consecutive fours.

Unlucky Sri Lanka can take heart

Sri Lanka have now lost seven T20I matches in a row against Australia and have only one win from 15 in the format when playing outside Asia.

They are unlikely to get much closer to victory than this. Needing 46 off the final 18 balls, they managed 45, while fortune was against them when Chameera's final strike fell just short of a six after a wide had not been called on the penultimate delivery.

Hazlewood shines in super over

Nissanka kept Sri Lanka's hopes alive, but Hazlewood ended them clinically in the super over with some expert deliveries.

"I just kept a nice clear mind," said Hazlewood, who finished with figures of 3-22. "[I] had a chat with Finchy and came up with a plan of what I wanted to do. The confidence is high at the moment and [it is] nice to execute."

Australia - the world's top-ranked T20 side - were playing for the first time since March due to the coronavirus pandemic but initially showed few signs of rustiness.

They were coasting towards an opening win with a strong response to England's 162-7, a total boosted brilliantly by Dawid Malan's 66.

However, a flurry of sloppy wickets left Australia needing 15 runs from the final over and Tom Curran held his nerve to deny Marcus Stoinis (23 not out).

Defeat was tough on Finch (46) and opening partner David Warner (58), who had the Aussies 98-0 in the 11th over before the skipper found Chris Jordan at mid-off, with Jofra Archer (2-33) the beneficiary.

Steve Smith (18) kept the scoreboard ticking over, but he and Glenn Maxwell departed to Adil Rashid (2-29) in the same over as Australia started to stutter.

Although Warner chopped on, England still faced an uphill battle until a sublime penultimate over from Jordan, who gave up just four runs and ran out Ashton Agar with a direct hit.

Curran took on Stoinis and came out on top despite a big six off the second ball, clinching an unlikely England triumph.

The hosts' own innings had been similarly topsy-turvy as Australia paid early for the decision to send their opponents in to bat when Jos Buttler (44) plundered 16 runs off Agar (2-32) in just the second over.

But an initially dominant England innings turned at the hand of Agar as he returned to the attack and atoned for his dismal start with two big wickets.

Buttler went first - straight to Pat Cummins at deep midwicket - before the in-form Tom Banton followed as Finch took a stunning running catch over his shoulder.

Australia's fielders continued to capitalise on the good work of their bowlers as Eoin Morgan and Moeen Ali were each then caught off Maxwell (2-14), England struggling from 64-1 to 108-5.

Morgan's men needed a hero and found one in Malan, whose knock off 43 balls - including five fours and three sixes - provided the platform for a fine win.

Malan was named man of the match and his record in the shortest format is one of remarkable consistency, with this his eighth score above 50 in 14 innings.

Having been inspired to comprehensive victories by some expert batting from Travis Head and Josh Inglis in the first two matches of the tour, the visitors found themselves dropped to 18-2 as they chased a target of 150.

Scotland had been led by Brandon McMullen's 56 runs off 39 balls as they achieved a respectable figure despite the best efforts of Cameron Green, who finished with figures of 3-35 for the tourists.

It was also McMullen whose terrific diving catch sent Jake Fraser-McGurk walking for a duck before Head (12) swept Brad Currie's fourth-over delivery straight to George Munsey to put Australia in a spot of bother.

However, Green replicated his bowling heroics with the bat, hitting an unbeaten 62 off 39 balls to ensure Scotland's joy was short-lived.

Even the wicket of captain Mitchell Marsh, who dragged on for 31 runs from Jack Jarvis' rasping delivery in the 10th over, could not halt the tourists' momentum, and they got over the line with 23 balls to spare for just one further loss.

Data Debrief: Green shows all-round credentials

Australia's third straight victory in Edinburgh was slightly more testing than their previous two as the top order faltered, but they could count on an exceptional all-round showing from Green.

Having taken three wickets in a T20I for the very first time, he proceeded to also register his best batting performance in the format, beating his previous best of 61 versus India in 2022.

Had Scotland succeeded in setting a more challenging target, Green might have had his eyes on an even more impressive total, having slammed five sixes and two fours.

The holders will host the next World Cup, which is to take place in October and November this year.

Meanwhile, a three-match T20 series against New Zealand planned for next month had to be scrapped due to COVID-19 concerns, but the immediate focus is on hosting Sri Lanka.

There has, of course, been plenty of off-field upheaval in the last week with coach Justin Langer resigning, but there is no better way for Australia to put that recent disturbance behind them and begin a new era than by consolidating their place at the pinnacle of the shortest format with a convincing series victory.

The series takes in five matches, starting in Sydney on Friday and also visiting Canberra and Melbourne.

Aaron Finch will be unable to call on two of his key performers from last year's World Cup run, with David Warner and Mitchell Marsh rested after their Ashes exploits.

That means that Ben McDermott has earned a recall, and Josh Inglis comes into the line-up at number three for a debut.

"The first series after the World Cup win, so it's really exciting to have a lot of new guys around the side as well and I guess quite a bit of pressure on after winning the World Cup," Finch told reporters.

"It does raise expectation. But we feel as though we've played some really good T20 cricket recently, so we're excited about that."

History on Australia's side

Australia have won their last five men's T20I matches against Sri Lanka, their longest active winning streak against any Test-playing nation in this format. 

Finch's team have also tasted victory in their last four T20Is. They last won more matches in a row in this format between February 2019 and February 2020, a streak of eight wins that included beating Sri Lanka on three occasions.

The series starts at the Sydney Cricket Ground, where Australia have won five of their eight men's T20I matches (L3).

However, these three losses have been suffered in their last five matches at this venue, and this will be the first time they take on Sri Lanka at the SCG.

But Sri Lanka have only one win from their previous four T20Is played away from home. They had won all four of their matches prior to this run in this format, though.   

Hazlewood and Zampa out to do the damage

Adam Zampa was a star of the World Cup and he has fine form against Sri Lanka, with no player having taken more wickets in this fixture than the spinner's 16. Indeed, he has more wickets in this format against Sri Lanka than any other team.

Pathum Nissanka and Charith Asalanka are two exciting batsmen for the tourists, but they will be up against a formidable bowling attack spearheaded by Test captain Pat Cummins and Josh Hazlewood. 

No player has more wickets during a powerplay in T20Is since the beginning of 2021 than Hazlewood, who has 14 dismissals to his name during this period.

Wanindu Hasaranga took 2-22 against Australia in Dubai and could be a dangerman, but Sri Lanka's fielding let them down last year. Indeed, since the start of 2021, they have a catch success rate of just 75 per cent in T20Is, the poorest of all the Test-playing nations.

Looking to take advantage of any sloppiness will be Finch. The Australia skipper has topped the scorecard 18 times in T20Is since the beginning of 2015, seven more occasions than any of his team-mates. In fact, only three players have a better record for their respective countries among Test-playing nations in the shortest format (Rohit Sharma – 23, Paul Stirling – 19 and Virat Kohli – 19).