AUS vs WI 2024: Top 3 players to watch out for in T20I Series

We are in the T20 World Cup year and the next three weeks, Australia will play six matches against the West Indies and then New Zealand. However, West Indies has only this series to shore up their World Cup plans and the side has looked to be the most stable and formidable in this format. 

They come into the series after a 3-2 win over England in December, followed by a similar 3-2 win over India. The consistency in their squad, which closely resembles the one touring Australia, gives them a slight edge even in Australia.

Let’s take a look at 3 players to watch out for in the Australia vs West Indies T20I series:

1. David Warner

The left-hander returns to his format after bidding goodbye to Tests earlier this year against Pakistan. He looked a bit rusty with the Sydney Thunder in the Big Bash League but played a good hand in the ILT20 league. Given the fact that the Southpaw will open the innings for Australia, this could be his best chance to nail down his spot ahead of the T20 World Cup and bow out on his own terms.

His experience is something Australia would want to take full advantage of as he will become only the 3rd player after Virat Kohli and Ross Taylor to play 100 internationals across all formats when he takes the field against West Indies at Hobart on Friday. Watch out for Warner, especially in the first six overs, since he always comes out punching when pushed to a corner.

2. Andre Russell

The big guns are back for West Indies for this series and none is bigger than Andre Russell in this format. The power-packed all-rounder made a comeback to the T20I side against England in December - this was his return since the 2021 World Cup in the UAE after new white-ball coach, Daren Sammy convinced him to make a comeback. 
Russell made an immediate impact - he bagged the 'Player of the Match' award in his first appearance. He then went on to say that the World Cup later this year could be the end of his international career. He comes into this series with some good form - he scored 192 runs at a strike rate of 228.57 in the ILT20.

3. Mitchell Marsh

After a sensational 2023, Mitchell Marsh got the coveted Allan Border Medal and now, he leads the side for this series. Although he was declared to be COVID-19 positive, he will captain the side - this is a clear indication that the all-rounder is being seen as a future leader in the white ball formats.

Marsh will bat possibly at number 3 and if he clicks in this position, he will be declared captain of the side for the World Cup later this year. It will be interesting to see if he bowls, considering he contracted Covid before the first match (although, he plays). This is a big series for him along with the rest of the Australian team.