Aussies make three changes, bat first in third T20I

The third T20 is being broadcast in Australia on Fox Cricket and live streamed on Kayo Sports. Play begins at 9.30am AEST

Australia have made three changes for their must-win third T20 International against West Indies, with Ashton Agar and Ben McDermott out with leg injuries and Josh Philippe discarded.

Alex Carey – who will play as a specialist batter – Ashton Turner and Riley Meredith have all been recalled for the visitors, who are coming off defeats in the opening two games of the series in St Lucia.

Australia XI: Aaron Finch (c), Matthew Wade, Mitchell Marsh, Moises Henriques, Alex Carey, Ashton Turner, Dan Christian, Mitchell Starc, Adam Zampa, Riley Meredith, Josh Hazlewood

West Indies XI: Lendl Simmons, Andre Fletcher, Chris Gayle, Shimron Hetmyer, Nicholas Pooran (c/wk), Dwayne Bravo, Andre Russell, Fabian Allen, Hayden Walsh, Sheldon Cottrell, Obed McCoy 

Captain Aaron Finch won his third consecutive toss, but this time elected to bat first having opted to chase in the first two contests.

Agar has picked up a right hamstring injury and McDermott has been sidelined with a quad concern. A Cricket Australia spokesperson described the injuries as minor.

The Windies meanwhile remain without skipper Kieron Pollard. They have recalled first T20I player-of-the-match Obed McCoy at the expense of fellow paceman Fidel Edwards, who suffered a triceps injury in game two.

In a sign Aussie spirits remain high despite going winless so far, coach Justin Langer wore Mitch Marsh's full playing kit during the warm-up.

It is believed he lost a bet with Marsh over the result of the Australian Football League game between the West Coast Eagles versus North Melbourne Kangaroos.

Langer's beloved Eagles lost 60-70 in a major upset.

Philippe and McDermott have managed just 23 runs between them in four innings combined to start the series, with the two KFC BBL stars both being batted in unfamiliar middle-order positions at four and six respectively.

Turner provides a specialist lower-order option having mostly batted at six for the Perth Scorchers in recent seasons.

Normally a wicketkeeper, Carey will not take the gloves for the first time in a T20I. He has only played as a fielder twice in his 72-game international limited-overs career, both times on Australia's 2018 ODI tour of England when Tim Paine stood behind the stumps.

Meredith, considered one of the fastest bowlers in the country, gives the Aussies some extra firepower alongside Mitchell Starc and Josh Hazlewood after the tourists were taken aback by the pace-friendly nature of the Daren Sammy Cricket Ground pitch for the opening two games.

A fresh track has been prepared for the third match.

The Australians are hopeful the extra injection of pace can help negate the influence of Andre Russell, who has torched them in the first two games, hitting seven sixes from just 36 balls faced.

"Do we need some more ball speed to go with Mitch and Josh to give us some more impact through the middle to potentially shrink the game in terms of runs?" Australia assistant coach Andrew McDonald asked on Sunday.

"Our plans have been there, and they will work. If you miss to this group of batters you're going to get punished and that's what we've seen.

"They're a strong a hitting team and we we're under no illusions of that coming in, and it was our reality again yesterday."

Qantas Tour of the West Indies 2021

Australia squad: Aaron Finch (c), Ashton Agar, Wes Agar, Jason Behrendorff, Alex Carey, Dan Christian, Josh Hazlewood, Moises Henriques, Mitchell Marsh, Ben McDermott, Riley Meredith, Josh Philippe, Mitchell Starc, Mitchell Swepson, Ashton Turner, Andrew Tye, Matthew Wade, Adam Zampa. Travelling reserves: Nathan Ellils, Tanveer Sangha.

West Indies T20 squad: Kieron Pollard (c), Nicholas Pooran (vc), Fabian Allen, Dwayne Bravo, Sheldon Cottrell, Fidel Edwards, Andre Fletcher, Chris Gayle, Shimron Hetmyer, Jason Holder, Akeal Hosein, Evin Lewis, Obed McCoy, Andre Russell, Lendl Simmons, Kevin Sinclair, Oshane Thomas, Hayden Walsh Jr

T20 series
(all matches at the Daren Sammy Cricket Ground, St Lucia)

First T20: West Indies won by 18 runs

Second T20: West Indies won by 56 runs

Third T20: July 13, 9.30am AEST (July 12, 7.30pm local)

Fourth T20: July 15, 9.30am AEST (July 14, 7.30pm local)

Fifth T20: July 17, 9.30am AEST (July 16, 7.30pm local)

ODI series
(all matches at Kensington Oval, Barbados)

First ODI (D/N): July 21, 4.30am AEST (July 20, 2.30pm local)

Second ODI (D/N): July 23, 4.30am AEST (July 22, 2.30pm local)

Third ODI (D/N): July 25, 4.30am AEST (July 24, 2.30pm local)

* Details of five-match T20 tour of Bangladesh are yet to be announced by the Bangladesh Cricket Board. Tours are subject to agreement on bio-security arrangements and relevant government approvals.