Ahmedabad: Australia and England have endured widely contrasting fates in the World Cup with one firmly on course for the semifinal while the other barely surviving.
But Saturday when the two Ashes rivals clash, a lot will be on the line for the adversaries who last faced off in a battle for the ‘Urn’ in July this year.
In the last four matches, five-time champions Australia have shown their batting might to turn around a floundering campaign with four successive wins and are now placed at the third spot with eight points.
Defending champions England, on the other hand, have faced the ignominy of four defeats, primarily due to their inexplicable batting failure, having being bowled out for 170 or less in each of their last three games.
Ahead of the marquee clash, both the teams are battling different sets of problems.
Australia will be forced to make replacements following the unavailability of two of their key players — Mitchell Marsh and Glenn Maxwell.
While Marsh had to fly back home due to personal reasons, Maxwell suffered concussion after falling down from the back of a golf cart in a freak incident.
Marsh had looked in blistering form at the top, while Maxwell had provided the late surge, having blasted the fastest ton in the World Cup the other day.
In their absence, Cameron Green and Marcus Stoinis are likely to be back in the squad for Saturday.
England, meanwhile, have tried all permutations and combinations in pursuit of that elusive win and yet another change in the XI is expected when they return to the venue where their campaign started on a poor note, having lost to New Zealand in the opener.
Harry Brook, who was left out for the last two games, is expected to return, while 28-year-old quick Brydon Carse, who replaced an injured Reece Topley, might also get a game.
While their fate is hanging by a mathematical calculation, last-placed England will have to play out of their skin against Australia to keep their hopes of qualifying for the Champions Trophy in 2025.
Only the top seven placed teams in the World Cup will qualify for the 50-over tournament in Pakistan, and England will hope to find their bearings when they face old foes Australia next.
History is stacked against them as England have lost 87 times in their 155 meetings with Australia in ODIs, while being 3-6 behind in World Cups.
However, the English team has often managed to find its best against the Aussies. A case in point being the fiercely-contested Ashes this year which ended 2-2.
As far as match-ups go, England are currently cutting a sorry figure while Australia are on a record-breaking spree, having scored three successive totals of 350 or more.
En route to 413 runs, David Warner has slammed two centuries out of the five that Australia have scored so far in the competition. In comparison, England managed just one.
The Aussies have slammed 61 sixes to England’s 27. The title holders also lack when it comes to bowling, with just 36 to show against 47 wickets taken by their rivals.
Opener Travis Head’s return from an injury lay-off with a rollicking hundred against New Zealand in their last match has only strengthened their batting, while Steve Smith and Marnus Labuschagne have looked in decent touch.
But Stoinis will have big boots to fill as Maxwell has been imperious in the back end. Green too will have to produce the goods after getting another opportunity.
In bowling, Mitchell Starc went wicketless for the first time in the last 24 ODIs in World Cups against New Zealand and will be smacking his lips against a struggling English batting order.
Josh Hazlewood and Pat Cummins, with eight wickets each, too have put in the effort, while Adam Zampa has been sensational with 16 wickets to boost.
For England, David Willey will look to make the most of the chances after deciding to retire from international cricket following the end of the World Cup, while the likes of Mark Wood, Chris Woakes and spinner Adil Rashid have to take more initiative.
The chasing side had the advantage in the two games that were held at this venue and with dew expected, toss will be crucial as teams might look to bowl first.
Squads:
England: Jos Buttler (c), Moeen Ali, Gus Atkinson, Jonny Bairstow, Sam Curran, Liam Livingstone, Dawid Malan, Adil Rashid, Joe Root, Harry Brook, Ben Stokes, Brydon Carse, David Willey, Mark Wood, Chris Woakes.
Australia: Pat Cummins (c), Steve Smith, Alex Carey, Josh Inglis, Sean Abbott, Ashton Agar, Cameron Green, Josh Hazlewood, Travis Head, Mitch Marsh, Glenn Maxwell, Marcus Stoinis, David Warner, Adam Zampa, Mitchell Starc.
Match starts at 2 pm.
PTI
