Reigning champions England will be up against Australia in Match 36 of the ICC Cricket World Cup 2023 on November 4 at the Narendra Modi Stadium in Ahmedabad, India. The match is scheduled to begin at 02:00 PM IST. A struggling England team found their hopes of reaching the semi-finals severely dented following a huge defeat to India in the previous match. England’s journey in the tournament has been marked by disappointment, with just one win in six games.

This string of losses has resulted from key players failing to make an impact. The Jos Buttler-led team is at the bottom of the standings.

On the other hand, Australia are riding high after a thrilling win over New Zealand and are on course to seal a place in the knockouts.

ENG vs AUS Fantasy XI

Wicket-keepers: Jonny Bairstow

Advertisement

Batters: David Warner, Travis Head, Dawid Malan, Marnus Labuschagne

All-rounders: Marcus Stoinis

Bowlers: Adil Rashid, Adam Zampa, Pat Cummins, Mitchell Starc, Josh Hazlewood

England’s Jonny Bairstow is the perfect choice for the wicket-keeper spot in the fantasy XI team. The opening batsman has managed to score 141 runs in six matches. While his performance in the World Cup has not been outstanding, he is a player worth keeping an eye on, especially in the upcoming game against their arch-rivals, Australia.

Advertisement

Among the batters, Australia’s David Warner is a must-have in the fantasy XI. The opening batter has racked up 413 runs in six matches so far. The left-handed batter is averaging 68.83 and has a strike rate of 112.53. He has scored two centuries and one half-century with a top score of 163. In the last five matches of the ICC Cricket World Cup 2023, Warner has notched up 372 runs at an average of 74.4 and with a strike rate of 118.1.

After missing most of the matches of the tournament due to an injury, Travis Head made a dazzling impact on the tournament by scoring a century in his first match of the competition. The southpaw notched up a scintillating 109 runs against New Zealand. The opening batter will aim to maintain his outstanding form against England.

Amid a rather disappointing tournament for the defending champions, Dawid Malan stands out as England’s highest run-scorer with a total of 236 runs across six matches. Malan has a century with the highest individual score of 140.

Marnus Labuschagne has been a dependable presence in the middle order for the Australian team throughout the competition. The right-handed batter has scored 201 runs in six matches thus far.

Adil Rashid not only ranks as England’s second-highest wicket-taker but is also one of the most consistent bowlers in the competition. Rashid has bagged eight wickets in six matches. The leg-spinner’s best performance in the ICC Cricket World Cup 2023 stands at 3/42. He has also chipped in with vital runs lower down the batting order.

Australia’s Marcus Stoinis has not yet hit his stride in the ongoing ICC Cricket World Cup. However, in the absence of all-rounders like Mitchell Marsh and Glenn Maxwell, the responsibility will rest on Stoinis to take charge and deliver a match-winning performance against England.

In the bowling department, Adam Zampa is the top contender for a place in the fantasy XI. The Australian leg-spinner has claimed 16 wickets in six matches. His best performance in the ICC Cricket World Cup 2023 is 4/8.

Australian pacers Pat Cummins (eight wickets in six matches), Mitchell Starc (seven wickets in six matches) and Josh Hazlewood (eight wickets in six matches) are among the leading wicket-takers in the competition.

Captain: David Warner

Australian batter David Warner is in top form in the ongoing ICC Cricket World Cup 2023. This veteran cricketer has played a crucial role in providing solid starts to the five-time World Champions. He is also Australia’s leading run-scorer in the tournament.

Vice-captain: Adam Zampa

Adam Zampa has consistently posed a challenge to opposing batsmen with his guile and variations throughout the competition. Whenever the leg-spinner has been handed the ball, he has claimed wickets. When facing an England team that has been struggling on all fronts, Zampa could further add to his wickets count.

Topics mentioned in this article