Colombo: Having registered a comprehensive win in their World Twenty20 opener, Australia will aim to seal a Super Eights berth when they take on the flamboyant West Indies in a Group B encounter here on Saturday.
However, it won’t be an easy task for George Bailey’s boys as they are up against a formidable Caribbean side who boast of big-hitting Chris Gayle and mystery spinner Sunil Narine in their ranks.
Led by Shane Watson’s heroics, with both bat and ball, Australia made easy work of an unpredictable Irish side as they cruised to an easy win in the campaign-opener. But come Saturday, the contest is definitely going to be more intense.
The Darren Sammy-led West Indian side has got enough of an arsenal in its armoury to derail any side.
However, the West Indian batsmen had failed to impress during their first warm-up game against Sri Lanka, in the absence of Gayle, and were scratchy in the second warm-up match against a resilient Afghan side, barring the Jamaican giant.
But that in no way gives Aussies the license to take them lightly.
West Indies’ prowess in the shortest format of the game is well known and Australia would undermine them at their own peril.
The Aussies, however, can take some heart from their recent performance against the Caribbeans.
They won comprehensively against Sammy’s boys in one of the two T20 games during their recent visit and came close to snatching the second one, losing by 14 runs. (PTI)