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Australian quick Nathan Coulter-Nile says his team will have no choice but to bowl short to the West Indies, setting up a battle of the quicks on Thursday.

Australia are ready to fight fire with fire against the West Indies in Thursday's World Cup clash, as a battle of the bouncers looms.

With both sides first-start World Cup winners, the Trent Bridge contest shapes as a throwback to the days of the Windies' much-vaunted pace attack.

They demolished Pakistan on Friday, their quicks skittling all 10 wickets for just 105 in a display of relentless short-pitch bowling.

It prompted allrounder Andre Russell - who bowled opener Karhar Zaman off his helmet - to say he wanted to take the same approach against an Australian side usually comfortable with bounce.

However Aussie paceman Nathan Coulter-Nile said it would be fired right back at them.

"You've got to give it to the West Indies otherwise they just get on the front foot and pongo you everywhere," Coulter-Nile said.

"We'll definitely give it to them, we'll give it to every team.

"You've just got to use your two (bouncers allowed per over).

"The grounds are so small and the wickets are generally flat. So you've got to use your bumpers when you can."

Russell is arguably the West Indies' most dangerous quick, while Oshane Thomas took four wickets against Pakistan and can also make the ball rise.

Australia also boast plenty of pace and height, with Mitchell Starc looking fast against Afghanistan, Pat Cummins taking three wickets and Coulter-Nile offering plenty.

Short balls are becoming more in vogue at this year's tournament, with a lack of prolonged swing seeing less reliance on bounce.

According to CrizViz, 20 of the 26 wickets taken by quicks over the first two days of the World Cup were pitched short of a length.