InMobi

Khawaja tips Finch to open in WT20

Thunder star says former national skipper will likely partner Watson in Australia's opener against NZ

Usman Khawaja concedes he will likely make way for Aaron Finch in Australia's first World T20 match in eight days' time.

Khawaja and Finch appear to be fighting for the vacant opening position alongside Shane Watson in Australia's best XI, but the left-hander says he expects the Victorian to return to the top of the order.

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"Finchy was there before I was, when I came into the team he was T20 captain," said Khawaja, who made his T20 international debut replacing Finch after he injured his hamstring in January.

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"So he's been there and done it. He was the incumbent, I was the player coming in.

"I sort of expect him to come back into the team anyway."

Watson (42) and Khawaja (33) combined for 76 in the series-clinching third T20 international at Newlands, the third opening combination Australia tried on the whirlwind tour.

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Khawaja and Finch put on 23 in game one in Durban, while Watson and Finch could only manage two at the Wanderers when a searing Kagiso Rabada yorker castled the Melbourne Renegades skipper in the first over.

Despite the competition for spots, Khawaja says there is no ill feeling between the candidates.

"The dynamic (between Khawaja, Finch and Watson) is pretty simple – we're pretty good mates off the field," he said.

"I've known Finchy since I was kid. We've been playing cricket together since we were kids, we were the same age.

"Obviously I play with Watto at the Thunder, so it's a good relationship."

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While mystery will continue to surround Australia's first-choice XI ahead of their opening clash against New Zealand in Dharamshala on March 18, Khawaja insists he won't be giving selection a second thought.

"It (selection) is part and parcel of the game," he said. "I've been through both sides of it – I've been dropped, I've been picked when some other guy has been dropped.

"I've been on both ends of it and I'm just so nonchalant about it now. I'm just chilled out.

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"Whatever they want to do, they'll do. I believe everything happens for a reason.

"There's some things you can't control in life and that's one of them.

"I'm just enjoying playing cricket.

"I'm happy that I'm fit and healthy, I don't have too much to complain about."

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