• Australia have won five of the last six T20s between the two

• West Indies won the most recent T20 to tie the head to head record at 11 wins apiece

• Shai Hope has scored 145 runs in the last three T20Is

• Recommended bet: Hope to be West Indies top runscorer

Australia were far from their peak but still secured a 3-0 series win in the recent Test series, and now the attention turns to the T20 format as the build up to next year's World Cup starts to ramp up.

West Indies were not expected to overcome the tourists in the five-day series but they certainly caused problems for the Australians with ball in hand, but their batting was an obvious frailty, passing 150 just twice in six innings.

The Windies only just avoided the lowest ever Test score when they were skittled for just 27 in the second innings of the final day/night Test at Sabina Park — a result they will hope has not left too many scars with the same venue hosting the first two of five T20s in this series and getting under way in the early hours of Monday morning.

Team news

Andre Russell has revealed that the first two matches of this series will be his final action for the Windies before he retires from international cricket, somewhat surprising with the World Cup only seven months away.

The two-time T20 World Cup winner follows in the footsteps of Nicholas Pooran, who also recently called time on his international career, and will be replaced by Matthew Forde for the final three games.

While Russell is likely to steal a lot of the focus for his international swansong at his home ground, the Windies have taken a look to the future by including two T20 debutants in their squad.

Highly-promising 18-year-old batting prospect Jewel Andrew, who will act as back-up wicketkeeper too, gets a chance to press his claims for a World Cup place in India and Sri Lanka next year, while left-arm paceman Jediah Blades, 23, gets a first T20 opportunity having played one ODI against Bangladesh in December last year.

Australia have only completed eight T20s since the last World Cup and are far from full strength as they ramp up their preparations with the ace fast-bowling trio of Pat Cummins, Josh Hazlewood and Mitchell Starc, along with Travis Head, all rested.

Matt Short has also been ruled out of the series with a "minor" side strain and captain Mitchell Marsh will be playing as a specialist batter.

Recent call-up Jake Fraser-McGurk, who replaced the injured Spencer Johnson, is set to open, while Mitchell Owen will come into the middle order on debut, alongside Cooper Connolly, with Tim David rested for the opening game as he recovers from a hamstring injury.

The latest West Indies vs Australia odds are available on LiveScore Bet.

The stats

The head-to-head record between these two sides stands at 11 wins apiece from 22 previous T20s.

Australia have won five of the last six T20s against the West Indies, but it was the latter that won the most recent match between the sides in February 2024.

The last series in the Caribbean in 2021 ended in a 4-1 win for the hosts with their margins of victory reading 18 runs, 56 runs, six wickets and 16 runs.

Australia's one victory in that series defeat was by a slender four runs.

West Indies have won six of the nine previous T20Is at Sabina Park — including each of the last four, although Monday's match will be the first to be played under floodlights.

Prediction

Australia are unsurprisingly favourites given both their one-sided win in the Test series and their recent record against West Indies in this format, but they look a little too short given this is not a full strength side and the hosts are being underestimated at the prices.

Having said that, the Windies are not in great form having won just two of their last 16 games in this format, having suffered 3-0 series defeats to Bangladesh and England recently.

Given the Russell situation and the recent Test debacle, a much stronger effort is expected and Shai Hope can lead from the front. The Windies skipper had a disappointing Test series but has been consistent in this format, scoring 49, 45 and 51 in his last three T20 innings.

Without Australia's best three bowlers, Hope can play another anchoring innings with shot-makers around him as he tries to inspire his side to victory.

Back Shai Hope to finish as West Indies Top Run Scorer at 3/1 with LiveScore Bet.