The ICC men’s T20 World Cup 2024 tournament is advancing towards the semi-final stage. Currently, at the Super 8 stage, finalists of the World Test Championship 2023 and ICC ODI World Cup 2023, India and Australia will take on each other once again on 24th June at 8:30 PM BST.
Match Details of India vs Australia
| Match | Date (BST) | Teams | Time (BST) | Venue |
| 51 | 24/6/2024 | India vs Australia | 8:30 PM | Daren Sammy National Cricket Stadium, Gros Islet, St. Lucia |
Preview of IND vs AUS Match in the World Cup Super 8 Stage
Everyone thought this match to be a dead rubber following the grouping. But after Afghanistan’s historic win against Australia at St. Vincent, this match has become ever more important for both teams. It is not a must-win game for any of them. But not winning might have dire consequences afterward.
Equation
India is in a more comfortable position than Australia at this point. If they win then there’s no stopping them from going to the semi-finals. An abandonment also works fine for them as it would still make them group champions. India have a positive net run rate of 2.425 which gives them a handsome advantage. So, they might still comfortably qualify even after losing this game. But they need to depend on the Bangladesh vs Afghanistan match for that.
Australia have been put into a delicate position after their loss to Afghanistan. Although they are not sure to be knocked out, a win doesn’t guarantee them a place either. If they wish to secure their place in the semi-finals, they need to win by a margin that puts India behind them in the net run rate. A loss or an abandoned game means that they have to pray for a lot of ifs and buts to go their way in the match of Bangladesh vs Afghanistan to advance to the semi-final.
Read more: T20 World Cup: Afghanistan stun Australia
Performance and Team Situation
India will approach this match with a lot of confidence after being the only unbeaten side in this World Cup and comprehensively winning the first two matches of the Super 8. Their main strength has been their team performance. Almost everyone is chipping in in every game which is making them look formidable. They are unbeaten till now but still, none of their batters is in the top 11 run-scorers of this tournament. This shows that India have not been a one-man show. Their only issue was the opening pair which also clicked against Bangladesh. This team spirit has been the key throughout this campaign for them. Similarly, their bowling has also been solid. Their main frontline bowlers Arshdeep Singh and Jasprit Bumrah have taken 22 wickets combined. As a result, in a World Cup where condition has been the main talking point, no condition doesn’t seem to be enough to stop them.
Australia were also unbeaten until the last match. Afghanistan exposed their various lackings and gave them what seems to be a timely wake-up call. Unlike India, Australia have been more of individual brilliance. For a major part of the tournament, Marcus Stoinis played a crucial role for their wins. Travis Head also has some innings to mention. The good news is their other major batters like David Warner and Glenn Maxwell seem to have gained some ground and contributed well in the Super 8 matches. Yet there needs to be a cumulative effort for them to win the odds they are facing. Similar goes to bowling which has been more of a one-man show than their batting. Adam Zampa is the 2nd highest wicket-taker of this edition of the World Cup with 13. However, their next best is Pat Cummins who got 9 wickets courtesy of back-to-back hat-tricks. Their bowling also needs to get in good shape before that.
Read more: ICC Men’s T20 World Cup 2024: Groups, Match Fixtures, and Venues
Table: India Team's Performance in the ICC Men’s T20 World Cup 2024 So Far
| Match Played | 6 |
| Won | 5 |
| Lost | 0 |
| Tie/NR | 1 |
| Highest Run-scorer | Rishabh Pant (152) |
| Highest Wicket Taker | Arshdeep Singh (12) |
Table: Australia Team's Performance in the ICC Men’s T20 World Cup 2024 So Far
| Match Played | 6 |
| Won | 5 |
| Lost | 1 |
| Tie/NR | 0 |
| Highest Run-scorer | Travis Head (179) |
| Highest Wicket Taker | Adam Zampa (13) |
IND vs AUS H-to-H T20I Records So Far
Table: Head-to-Head T20I Records Between India and Australia So Far
| Matches Played | India Won | Australia Won | TIE/NR |
| 31 | 19 | 11 | 01 |
Table: H2H Records Between India and Australia in T20 World Cup Tournaments So Far
| Matches Played | India Won | Australia Won | TIE/NR |
| 5 | 3 | 2 | 0 |
It has been an evenly balanced tie in the World Cup for them. However, India winning the last two World Cup matches between these two great cricketing nations gives them an additional edge for this match.
Read more: Cummins makes history with back-to-back hat-tricks in T20 World Cup
Probable Lineups
Most Probable XI of India Team
Rohit Sharma (Captain), Virat Kohli, Rishabh Pant, Suryakumar Yadav, Shivam Dube, Hardik Pandya, Axar Patel, Ravindra Jadeja, Arshdeep Singh, Jasprit Bumrah, Kuldeep Yadav.
Most Probable XI of Australia Team
Travis Head, David Warner, Mitchell Marsh (Captain), Marcus Stoinis, Glenn Maxwell, Tim David, Matthew Wade, Mitchell Starc, Pat Cummins, Josh Hazlewood, Adam Zampa.
Read more: Venue Guide: Stadiums of ICC Men's T20 World Cup 2024
Key Players to Watch in Team India
Virat Kohli
He was the man of the match in these two sides' last meeting in a T20 World Cup match. Virat Kohli has also regained some form in the match against Bangladesh. Now at St. Lucia, the highest scoring ground of this world cup, against Australia, his favorite opponents in this format of the game, very few will bet against him not making the difference in this match.
Rishabh Pant
He has been the most consistent of Indian batters this time. He is not necessarily playing big innings. But he makes sure to shift the momentum completely towards India’s side. India needs another similar impact from him once more
Jasprit Bumrah
The strike bowler of India is going to be key in this match. His ability to pick early wickets is unmatched. Also, he loves bowling against the Aussies against whom he has picked up the most wickets in his career. He must be very eager to do something similar again.
Read more: Analysis of India Squad for the ICC Men’s T20 World 2024
Key Players to Watch in Australian Team
Glenn Maxwell
He can be for Australia what Virat Kohli can be for India in this match. After an underwhelming World Cup, Glenn Maxwell picked up his game just at the right time with his 59 against Afghanistan. It would be interesting to see what he does against the opponent he scored the most runs in his career.
Travis Head
Travis Head is the highest run-scorer for Australia. He has tried to give a fiery start to the team. After an IPL where he dominated, one can rely on him to thrive against this Indian bowling line-up. Australia will hope for that as well.
Adam Zampa
Adam Zampa literally can’t stop taking wickets at this point. Even though India always have a reputation for playing the spin better, the 2nd highest wicket-taker of this World Cup cannot be taken lightly. Also, he shines while facing an Asian side. As St. Lucia has a batting-friendly condition, he needs to pick regular wickets to stop India’s scorecard from getting out of hand.
Read more: Analysis of Australia Squad in ICC Men’s T20 World Cup 2024
Verdict
There is a possibility of rain in this game. It is a match where nothing can be predicted. Yet with the form they are in, India might be the favorite for this game. But it would not be wise to count Australia out at any point. The IND vs AUS match at the 2024 T20 World Cup’s Super 8 Stage will be highly enjoyable and competitive.