Australia take on India with one eye on trophy

Australia will look to dump hosts India out of the World Twenty20 tournament on Sunday in a do-or-die clash between cricket’s two biggest teams.

A narrow win by India over Bangladesh, followed by Australia’s 21-run triumph against Pakistan, has effectively reduced Sunday’s group encounter into a knockout, with the winner making it to the semi-finals.

“We’ve got a massive game coming up against India, whoever wins that goes through,” said Australian paceman James Faulkner after Friday’s win against Pakistan.

“It was on our shoulders to turn the ship around and start winning.

“We have won two in a row, now we need to win another three to win the World Cup,” said the bowler, who picked a five-wicket haul against Pakistan, the first Australian to do so in T20 cricket.

Australia are the reigning 50-over world champions and the number one Test side, but have failed to win the World T20 in five previous attempts.

If they do manage to win the trophy this time around, it would be a fitting tribute to all-rounder Shane Watson, who is set to quit international cricket at the end of the tournament.

Watson was part of Australia’s World Cup triumphs in 2007 and 2015 and also starred during the team’s winning campaigns in the Champions Trophy finals of 2006 and 2009. The Aussies have won two games in this T20 edition while going down to New Zealand, who have already qualified for the semis with three wins from as many matches.

India were also handed a thrashing by the Black Caps, who are sitting on top of Group 2 and clearly one of the better-looking sides in the tournament.