Glenn Maxwell under fire over 'terrible' scenes in T20 loss to England

Glenn Maxwell is facing questions over his place in Australia's T20 side ahead of the World Cup after a horrible run of form continued against England on Wednesday night.

England have handed Australia a serious wake-up call just days out from the World Cup with a second-straight victory by eight runs in Canberra.

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Despite the return of gun bowling quartet Pat Cummins, Mitchell Starc, Josh Hazelwood and Adam Zampa, along with all-rounder Maxwell to the side that lost the first match in Perth, the result on Wednesday was identical.

England wrapped up the series, posting 7-178 courtesy of a stylish 49-ball 82 from man-of-the-match Dawid Malan, before all-rounder Sam Curran wrapped things up with the ball by taking 3-25.

The loss again highlighted fragility in the Australian batting line-up, particularly at the top of the order where captain Aaron Finch (13 off 13 balls) and David Warner (four off 11) failed to fire.

Maxwell has also come under serious fire after making eight off 11 balls on Wednesday night, continuing a string of low scores.

The swashbuckling batter has scored just 16 runs off 33 balls in his last six T20 internationals, averaging just over two and striking at less than 50.

Since March last year he has scored 272 runs in 22 innings for an average of 15.11, well down from his career T20I average of 28.23.

The eight runs he scored on Wednesday night were actually his most in an innings in the last six games, with fans questioning whether Australia can afford to pick him in the upcoming World Cup.

Fox Sports commentator Mark Waugh said Maxwell’s form was a “real worry” for Australia, admitted he was “maybe not a lock” for the starting XI.

"(You) would have thought he would be, given the way he fields and his bowling," Waugh said.

“But he’s there to bat at No. 4 primarily. (It’ll be) interesting to see what happens going forward there.”

England wrap up T20 series against Australia

Despite the series defeat, Australia insist even back-to-back losses against one of their World Cup group stage foes won't shake their confidence as they prepare to start the defence of their crown in little over a week's time.

"It's disappointing to lose a series, but the chat over the last period of time is about the World Cup," Starc said after the match.

"We've spoken thoroughly about these four fixtures about how we've had different match-ups between the four games with the West Indies and England.

"Obviously, we want to win the series and we want to win these games, but the big focus is the World Cup and when we play those teams."

Finch and Warner could barely keep the scoreboard ticking and left their team 2-22 in the fifth over when both were dismissed, their teammates unable to pull off a rescue mission.

Mitch Marsh (45) looked poised to steer a comeback before being dismissed by Curran, while pinch-hitter Tim David continued to impress early in his Australian T20 tenure, smacking five fours and a six in his 40 off 23 balls.

Earlier, England had looked in trouble at 4-54 before Malan and Moeen Ali (44 from 27 balls) combined brilliantly to put on a 92-run partnership.

Starc said there'd been positive moments throughout the clash, but his side had never been able to grab the ascendancy.

"There's been some really good stuff these last two games and obviously good matches for the spectators ... just not enough to get over the line on both occasions," he said.

"A lot of positives to take out of both fixtures ... we've got another chance on Friday, two more chances before that first game of the World Cup to either settle on some match-ups and get a last look at England before we take them on the World Cup."

The sides will meet again in a dead rubber in Canberra on Friday night.

with AAP

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