All you need to know: England v Australia, third T20I

Match Facts

Who: England v Australia, third T20I

When: Sunday, September 15. Coin toss at 11pm AEST, first ball at 11.30pm AEST (2.30pm local time)

Where: Old Trafford, Manchester

How to watch: Foxtel and Kayo Sports

Officials: Martin Saggers and Mike Burns (standing), Alex Wharf (third), Russell Warren (fourth), Andy Pycroft (match referee)

Live scores: England v Australia match centre

Teams

To be announced at the toss.

Squads

Australia: Mitchell Marsh (c), Sean Abbott, Cooper Connolly, Tim David, Ben Dwarshuis, Jake Fraser-McGurk, Cameron Green, Aaron Hardie, Josh Hazlewood, Travis Head, Josh Inglis, Riley Meredith, Matt Short, Marcus Stoinis, Adam Zampa

Australia are expected to welcome back experienced paceman Josh Hazlewood for the third T20 after sitting out the previous match due to pre-planned rotation. Captain Mitch Marsh was also out ill and Xavier Bartlett has been ruled out of the series with a side strain. Sydney Sixers left-armer Ben Dwarshuis comes into the squad for the series decider.

England: Phil Salt (c), Jofra Archer, Jacob Bethell, Brydon Carse, Jordan Cox, Sam Curran, Josh Hull, Will Jacks, Liam Livingstone, Saqib Mahmood, Dan Mousley, Jamie Overton, Adil Rashid, Reece Topley, John Turner

England blooded three debutants in the series opener and recalled Brydon Carse for his first T20 international in a year in the second match. They're a squad in transition with Brendon McCullum to take over as head coach in January but they'll still be hunting a series win in the decider at Old Trafford.

Series fixtures (tied 1-1)

September 11: Australia beat England by 28 runs

 

September 13: England beat Australia by three wickets

 

September 15: Third T20 v England, Old Trafford Manchester, 11.30pm AEST

How to recap

Everything you could need will be right here on cricket.com.au and the CA Live app.

We'll have interviews, highlights and wicket replays in our match centre, while the Unplayable Podcast will keep you informed on the latest developments from Australia's UK tour.

Local knowledge

Players to watch

Opener Travis Head has been striking at 243 runs per 100 balls for his scores of 59 and 31 in the first two matches and it's just a matter of time until he kicks on to a big score.

Leg-spinner Adil Rashid is the leading wicket-taker (15) in England versus Australia men's T20 internationals and Old Trafford is the venue in England where he's enjoyed his most success in the format (11 wickets).

Recent form

Past 10 T20 matches, most recent first. W: win, L: loss, N: no result

Australia: LWWWWLLWWW

Australia lost their first game of their UK tour on Friday, but they still enter the series decider with a superb T20 record in 2024 with 14 wins from 18 matches.

England: WLLWLWWWLN

England's next generation gave a taste of what the future holds with the express pace of Brydon Carse (2-26) and 20-year-old Jacob Bethell (44 off 24 balls) exceptional in their win in Cardiff. They'll be out to avoid their first bilateral men's T20 series loss to Australia since 2014 in Manchester on Sunday.

Last time they met

England snapped a two-game losing streak against Australia in Cardiff with Liam Livingstone (87 off 47) and Jacob Bethell (44 off 24) powering them to a three-wicket win with an over to spare chasing 194.

Head-to-head

Overall: England (12 wins), Australia (12 wins), no result (2)

 

At Old Trafford: No result (2)

 

Most runs: Aaron Finch (619), Jos Buttler (584), Glenn Maxwell (343), David Warner (334), Alex Hales (311)

 

Most wickets: Adil Rashid (15), Chris Jordan (13), Mitchell Johnson (11), Josh Hazlewood (11), Adam Zampa (10)

Rapid stats

• England have bowled first in nine of their last 10 men's T20Is, including each of their last six; they have won six of the 10 matches in that span.
• England have won three of their last four men's T20Is at Old Trafford in Manchester, including each of their last two; a third consecutive win in this match would equal their longest winning run at the venue in the history of the format (won three from June 2008 to June 2015).
• Australia have hit a boundary once every 4.4 balls faced in men's T20Is in 2024, the most frequent of any Test playing country this year; in addition, they have scored 66 per cent of their total runs from boundaries – the best rate of any team.

• England have a batting dot ball rate of 35.3 per cent in men's T20Is in 2024 – the best of any Test playing country this year; Australia (37.4 per cent) are ranked third in this category (India – 37.3 per cent).
• Travis Head (Australia) has scored 539 runs in men's T20Is in 2024, the second most of any player for Australia in a calendar year in the history of the format (Mitchell Marsh – 627 in 2021).
• Phil Salt (944) is 56 away from scoring 1000 runs for England in men's T20Is; if he achieves the milestone in this innings (32*), he'd be the joint-second fastest player to reach it for England alongside Kevin Pietersen and Alex Hales (32 innings).
• Adam Zampa (Australia) has taken 29 wickets in men's T20Is in 2024, the second most of any player for Australia in a calendar year in the history of the format (Andrew Tye – 31 in 2018).

Where to next?

There's more Australia v England action coming your way on Thursday with the two sides to meet in a five-match ODI series, which serves as ideal preparation for next year's ICC Champions Trophy 50-over tournament in Pakistan. The first ODI at Trent Bridge gets underway at 9.30pm AEST live on Fox Cricket and Kayo Sports.

Qantas Tour of the UK 2024

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Australia T20 squad: Mitchell Marsh (c), Sean Abbott, Xavier Bartlett, Cooper Connolly, Tim David, Ben Dwarshuis, Jake Fraser-McGurk, Cameron Green, Aaron Hardie, Josh Hazlewood (England games only), Travis Head, Josh Inglis, Riley Meredith, Matt Short (England games only), Marcus Stoinis, Adam Zampa

September 4: Australia beat Scotland by seven wickets

September 6: Australia beat Scotland by 70 runs

September 7: Australia beat Scotland by six wickets

September 11: Australia beat England by 28 runs

September 13: England beat Australia by three wickets

September 15: Third T20 v England, Old Trafford Manchester, 11.30pm AEST

Australia ODI squad: Mitch Marsh (c), Sean Abbott, Alex Carey, Jake Fraser-McGurk, Cameron Green, Aaron Hardie, Josh Hazlewood, Travis Head, Josh Inglis, Marnus Labuschagne, Glenn Maxwell, Matthew Short, Steve Smith, Mitchell Starc, Adam Zampa

September 19: First ODI v England, Trent Bridge, Nottingham, 10pm AEST

September 21: Second ODI v England, Headingley, Leeds, 10pm AEST

September 24: Third ODI v England, Riverside, Chester-le-Street, 10pm AEST

September 27: Fourth ODI v England, Lord's, London, 10pm AEST

September 29: Fifth ODI v England, County Ground, Bristol, 8pm AEST