Australia have the best openers in T20: Clarke

09 May,2010 05:46 AM IST |   |  AFP

Australia and Sri Lanka would be looking to seal a semi-final berth when they meet in their second Super Eights match of the World Twenty20 on Sunday


Australia and Sri Lanka would be looking to seal a semi-final berth when they meet in their second Super Eights match of the World Twenty20 on Sunday.

Australia crushed India by 49 runs while Sri Lanka overwhelmed the West Indies by 57 runs in their first Super Eights match.

Australia captain Michael Clarke. Pic/Getty Images


After handing India, the 2007 champions, a crushing defeat Saturday, Australia's confidence will be sky high and a win against Sri Lanka will land them a semi-final berth.
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The World Twenty20 is one trophy which is missing from their illustrious cabinet and the Australians, unbeaten in the tournament so far, will fight hard to take it home this time round.

The Australians were dominant with bat and ball against India and were on a sixer-hitting spree led by openers David Warner (72 from 42 deliveries) and Shane Watson (54 from 32), who shared 13 sixes between them. In all, the Australians smashed 16 sixers during the innings.

Dirk Nannes (3-25)and Shaun Tait (3-21) then combined to dispatch India for 135.

"I believe we have the best openers in Twenty20 cricket in the world at the moment," captain Michael Clarke said.

"I think they bat fantastically together, left-hand, right-hand combination, both very aggressive but if they need to take their time they don't seem distressed too much.

"They are two wonderful players and I am blessed to have them on my team."

Sri Lanka, on the other hand, have been hit by the injury of spin wizard Muttiah Muralitharan who had to fly back home from the middle of the tournament.

Sri Lanka's form in the tournament has been inconsistent. They began with a narrow loss to the New Zealand followed by a rain-affected victory over Zimbabwe. But they can take heart from their Friday's win over the West Indies.
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