Cricket World Cup 2019: Changes aplenty as Australia opt to bat in Nottingham

After losing seven straight coin tosses, Australia captain Aaron Finch finally had the luck on his side on Thursday.

After losing seven straight coin tosses, Australia captain Aaron Finch finally had the luck on his side on Thursday against Bangladesh in Nottingham as he broke the streak and opted to bat first.

In their sixth match of the ongoing ICC Cricket World Cup 2019, Australia made three changes to their playing XI with allrounders Marcus Stoinis and Nathan Coulter-Nile returning alongside legspinner Adam Zampa. Shaun Marsh, Kane Richardson and Jason Behrendorff have been dropped.

Bangladesh too rung in changes with Mohammad Saifuddin out with back spasm and replaced by Rubel Hossain while Sabbir Rahman comes in for Mosaddek Hossain.

Finch said that Australia are still searching for a perfect game. “At stages we have had partnerships with the bat and there have been times we haven’t got it right. Still excited to be in the position we are in but we haven’t had a perfect game yet,” he said at the toss.

While Bangladesh captain Mashrafe Mortaza would have liked to bat first, he’s taking confident from the fact that his team has been performing well while chasing. “We are chasing really well in the last few matches. We need to restrict them to a total and chase it down. My knees are alright, trying hard, let’s see. The boys are confident after that last match (against West Indies),” Mortaza said at the toss.

Playing XIs

Australia: Aaron Finch (capt), David Warner, Usman Khawaja, Steven Smith, Glenn Maxwell, Marcus Stoinis, Alex Carey (wk), Nathan Coulter-Nile, Pat Cummins, Mitchell Starc, Adam Zampa

Bangladesh: Tamim Iqbal, Soumya Sarkar, Shakib Al Hasan, Mushfiqur Rahim (wk), Liton Das, Mahmudullah, Sabbir Rahman, Mehidy Hasan Miraz, Mashrafe Mortaza (capt), Rubel Hossain, Mustafizur Rahman