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Cape Town - Shane Watson has been confirmed as Australia captain for the Twenty20 international against India at the Sydney Cricket Ground on Sunday.
Watson replaces the injured Aaron Finch, who damaged his left hamstring during the 27-run loss at the Melbourne Cricket Ground on Friday.
Watson’s appointment followed a recommendation by the National Selection Panel that was approved by Cricket Australia’s Board of Directors.
Watson said: “It is an honour to be asked to lead the side on Sunday, although the circumstances are far from ideal.
“We may have lost the series but there is a great deal to play for with the ICC World Twenty20 coming up and you can be sure we will be determined to do well in Sydney.”
With Finch sidelined, Usman Khawaja has stepped into the squad for Sunday’s game and has also been drafted in to the One-Day International squad for the tour of New Zealand.
Watson is Australia’s second most experienced T20 player with 51 caps; only David Warner (54) has appeared more often for Australia in the shortest form of the game.
Watson will become the ninth player to captain Australia in T20s.
He has previously captained his country in one Test and nine One-Day Internationals in 2012 and 2013.
The 34-year-old all-rounder is Australia’s leading wicket-taker in the T20 format with 41 victims and his tally of 1 191 runs is second only to Warner’s haul of 1 465 for his country.
The Australia captain for the ICC World Twenty20 in India in March will be named when the squad is announced next month.
The squad for the final match of the Twenty20 International series is as follows:
Shane Watson (captain), Cameron Bancroft, Scott Boland, Cameron Boyce, James Faulkner, Travis Head, Usman Khawaja, Nathan Lyon, Chris Lynn, Shaun Marsh, Glenn Maxwell, Shaun Tait, Andrew Tye
