England vs West Indies LIVE Score, T20 World Cup updates: WI vs ENG Playing XI in focus; Toss info soon

Welcome to Sportstar's LIVE coverage of the T20 World Cup 2021 Super 12 match between England and West Indies at the Dubai International Stadium.

MATCH PREVIEW

Five-and-a-half years after Carlos Brathwaite hit four successive sixes off Ben Stokes' bowling to win the World Twenty20 final for West Indies, the defending champion will renew its T20 World Cup rivalry with England in Dubai on Saturday.

However, both men involved in that epoch-defining over at the Eden Gardens in Kolkata are missing here. Stokes continues to take an indefinite break while Brathwaite wasn't added to the World Cup squad. There are more notable absentees in Jofra Archer and Sunil Narine.

READ: Ian Bishop: West Indies would've loved to have the mystery of Narine at the T20 World Cup

It is against this backdrop of missing names that a wide palette of power-hitters from both sides will try to outmuscle each other. As impressive as Eoin Morgan’s captaincy has been, England will need him to contribute with runs. How Moeen Ali is used could be crucial. He can bat at No. 3 in place of Dawid Malan, whose form in the warm-ups — a run-a-ball 18 and 11 from 15 — didn't inspire confidence.

READ: England to join West Indies in taking knee before T20 World Cup opener

In Mark Wood and Tymal Mills, England's bowling attack has the extra pace that could provide an edge. Chris Jordan is an able death-overs specialist. But England has just one frontline spinner in Adil Rashid; Moeen and Livingstone as backups make it a spin-heavy line-up.

For West Indies, the spin attack is weaker for Narine's absence. Fabian Allen was ruled out of the World Cup due to an ankle injury. Left-arm spinner Akeal Hosein replaced him. Hayden Walsh, who was outstanding against Australia in July, is the wrist-spinning option. They have three good quicks in Obed McCoy, Dwayne Bravo and Ravi Rampaul. Roston Chase was rewarded for a great CPL with the bat. His off-spin will be useful against England, a side with at least two left-handers in the top six.

West Indies' batting order has enviable depth, with Kieron Pollard, Andre Russell and Chris Gayle — his lean patch is a worry — headlining it. Nicholas Pooran, Evin Lewis and Bravo add more heft.

The dimension of the ground will also play a factor. The pitches on the edge of the square have smaller boundaries on one side. Both sides will try to exploit it with a right-left combination should those surfaces be used.

It's a battle between a side tailor-made for the shortest format, and one that has revolutionised its limited-overs cricket. But on Saturday, the team that adapts better and faster will win.

- Ayan Acharya

Stars of the fixture (overall)

PREDICTED XI

West Indies: Evin Lewis, Lendl Simmons, Roston Chase, Kieron Pollard (c), Nicholas Pooran (wk), Shimron Hetmyer, Andre Russell, Dwayne Bravo, Hayden Walsh, Ravi Rampaul, Obed McCoy

England: Jos Buttler (wk), Jason Roy, Dawid Malan, Jonny Bairstow, Eoin Morgan (c), Moeen Ali, Liam Livingstone, Adil Rashid, Chris Jordan, Tymal Mills, Mark Wood

ENG vs WI DREAM11 FANTASY TEAM

Keeper – Jos Buttler (C), Jonny Bairstow

Batsmen – Evin Lewis, Jason Roy, Lendl Simmons

All-rounders – Andre Russell (VC), Moeen Ali, Kieron Pollard

Bowlers – Adil Rashid, Hayden Walsh, Chris Woakes

SQUADS:

England Squad: Jason Roy, Jos Buttler(w), Jonny Bairstow, Moeen Ali, Liam Livingstone, Eoin Morgan(c), Chris Woakes, Chris Jordan, Adil Rashid, Mark Wood, Tymal Mills, David Willey, Dawid Malan, Sam Billings, Tom Curran

West Indies Squad: Evin Lewis, Lendl Simmons, Chris Gayle, Shimron Hetmyer, Nicholas Pooran(w), Kieron Pollard(c), Andre Russell, Dwayne Bravo, Hayden Walsh, Obed McCoy, Ravi Rampaul, Oshane Thomas, Akeal Hosein, Roston Chase, Andre Fletcher

Reserves: George Linde, Andile Phehlukwayo, Lizaad Williams

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