Key posts
The teams are in
Australia: David Warner, Aaron Finch (capt), Mitchell Marsh, Glenn Maxwell, Marcus Stoinis, Tim David, Matthew Wade (wk), Pat Cummins, Mitchell Starc, Adam Zampa, Josh Hazlewood
Ireland: Paul Stirling, Andy Balbirnie, Lorcan Tucker, Harry Tector, Curtis Campher, George Dockrell, Gareth Delany, Mark Adair, Fionn Hand, Barry McCarthy, Josh Little
Ireland win the toss and elect to bowl
Ireland win the toss and elect to bowl at the Gabba tonight. They’re keen to embrace the challenge and want to know what they are chasing in their most crucial game of the tournament so far. They go in with the same team.
“We would have bowled first as well,” Australian captain Aaron Finch said.
“Throughout the game we have to earn the right to push net run rate. It’s obviously an issue. As soon as you try and force that too much, you get yourself into trouble.”
One change for Australia: Adam Zampa is in for Ashton Agar.
They’re in the house
Mitchell Starc marks his run-up.Credit:Getty
Matthew Wade warms up.Credit:Getty
Should Warner be allowed to captain again?
Mark Taylor’s say on Aaron Finch
By Mark Taylor
There’s no doubt the Australian captain is struggling. You don’t need to be Einstein to work that out. He knows himself. But when it comes to making a change, the die is cast. If the defending champions were going to make a change, they had to do it before a ball was bowled. Now Finch needs to find a spark, and he needs to find it fast.
Finch should retain his place, and Australia will adopt the same attitude: throw caution to the wind and hope one or two players can pull off something spectacular. If Finch plays a daring hand, it might be his night.
Cricket can be like that. I went through the same thing myself many years ago as a player, where you just can’t get your feet going. The harder you try, the worse it gets. The extra problem Finch has got is he is playing in a very short form of the game.
I can go back 25 years ago to when I had a real struggle with the bat, but at least in Test match cricket, there were two ways you could go about it: you could either hit your way out of trouble, or spend time at the crease and hope eventually your form would return. Finch doesn’t have that luxury – so he needs to take the first option.
Wondering how to watch?
We’ve got you covered. Watch Australia v Ireland live and free from 7.00pm on 9Gem and 9Now. Pre-game coverage begins from 6.30pm.
Cricket’s climate change: Why Australia will be stuck with October World Cups
Australia will have to get used to hosting October cricket World Cups, as global forces conspire to make it unlikely that the traditional February-March tournament window will ever be used again.
There may be some disbelief from spectators who have sat through three matches washed out entirely, one stopped short of a result and another truncated by rain, that October/November has already been slated for the 2028 men’s Twenty20 World Cup in Australia and New Zealand.
But the fact of the matter is that the slot previously used for events additional to the regular international season is now arguably the most hotly contested patch of turf on the annual calendar.
MCG curator Matt Page confers with umpires at the MCG on Friday night.Credit:Getty Images
Have your say on Australia’s World Cup fate
So now it’s time to have your say.
How can Australia reach the semi-finals?
It’s the burning question hanging over the reigning champions.
Above all, Australia need undefeated New Zealand to beat England in Brisbane on Tuesday night, clearing a path for the semi-finals.
What Australia need to do to reach World Cup semis
If England beat New Zealand
Win their final two matches against Ireland and Afghanistan by enormous margins to try to make up what is almost a two-run net run-rate gap with England: if both teams are level on points, the higher run rate will progress.
If New Zealand beat England
Win their final two matches against Ireland and Afghanistan and Australia will qualify irrespective of run rate, because the hosts will have accumulated seven competition points to England’s five.
This means that for the Australians, and the many thousands who follow the national cricket team around the country, the most important sporting event on Tuesday won’t be the Melbourne Cup.
And the omens are good for Kiwi success on Cup day. Since its inception in 1861, 43 New Zealand-bred horses have won the Melbourne Cup, including 33 of the past 55 winners.
Welcome to the Gabba
Ladies and gentlemen, welcome to the Gabba.
Australia take on Ireland in the Twenty20 World Cup tonight with an eye on a semi-final berth. The fact Australia are still in such strong contention for the semi-finals is remarkable given they have won just one of their first three games, such has been the impact of rain on the tournament.
Caden Helmers checking in to get you through the night, with play scheduled to begin at 7pm AEDT.
Australia takes on Ireland tonight.Credit:Getty
