Brisbane and Adelaide will kick start the playoffs in Australia T20 League 2020-21 with an eliminator game at Gabba. The winner will face Sydney-T in the knockout game on Sunday.
Match Timings: Dec 29, 1:45 PM IST
Team Preview
Australia T20 League 2020-21 is now in its final stage and playoffs will start in Gabba when Brisbane and Adelaide face each other. Brisbane managed to claim a spot in the top five after a hard-fought victory against Perth. It was a second straight victory for Brisbane and they finally cracked the playoffs after a gap of four years. The captain led from the front with a 24-balls half-century and Labuschagne scored 46 off 38 balls to get 181 on board. They were heading towards 200 at one stage but Perth managed to avoid extra runs in death-overs. The Bowling unit kept the chase tight and despite a late effort, Brisbane clinched the game by 6 runs. Labuschagne’s brilliance with the bat and bowl have worked for Brisbane. He picked a three-wickets haul and claimed his second MOM award in three matches.
Brisbane has the balance in its side and their performance would rely on Lynn and Labuschagne. Lynn has aggregated 410 runs at an average of 42 and his contribution is crucial at the top-order. Steketee got the reward of his bowling as he earned the national call-up and he would be a key figure with the bowl. He has bagged 22 wickets this season at an average of 21.18. Labuschagne is already providing the role of spin as the 6th bowler. Brisbane has the caliber to repeat 2012/13 this edition and in the pursuit of the second title, Lynn will have a big responsibility.
Meanwhile, Adelaide finished fifth in the table and they got the upper hand in the qualification due to better NRR. In the last league-stage game, they lost to Sydney-T in a rain-affected clash. Weatherald scored fine 80 off 47 balls to set the tone but he didn’t get support from another end. Adelaide posted 115 in 14-overs and Sydney-T made the mockery of this chase. They chased down the target with 11 balls spare and losing just one wicket.
If Adelaide wins the eliminator, they will face Sydney-T one more time in Knock out. The opening slot will be important for Adelaide as both Carey and Weatherald scored more than 400 runs this edition. Someone has to step up in the game. Travis Head has also a responsibility to play a sheet anchor in this eliminator game. Despite the absense of Rashid Khan, Adelaide’s bowlers kept their opposition controlled. Wes Agar and Peter Siddle will play a key role at Gabba where they can get help through the bounce.
Pitch Report
Gabba’s track has been good for batting in T20s. The surface is bit dry and it has bit of bounce which can be helpful for the pacers. Chasing would be tricky with a score of above 170.
Possible XI
Brisbane
Chris Lynn (c), Max Bryant, Marnus Labuschagne, Joe Denly, Joe Burns, Lewis Gregory, Jimmy Peirson (wk), Jack Wildermuth, Mark Steketee, Mitchell Swepson, Ben Laughlin
Adelaide
Alex Carey (wk), Jake Weatherald, Philip Salt, Travis Head (c), Jonathan Wells, Ryan Gibson, Michael Neser, Daniel Worrall, Wes Agar, Liam O Connor, Peter Siddle
Key Players
Brisbane
Chris Lynn
Season so far: M: 10, Runs: 420, Avg: 42
Marnus Labuschagne
Season so far: M: 3, Runs: 123, Wickets: 6
Adelaide
Alex Carey
Season so far: M: 3, Runs: 412, Avg: 34.33
Wes Agar
Season so far: M: 14, Wickets: 21, Avg: 20.33
