Image Credit- AP
India scored a massive 235, their fifth-highest total
in Twenty20 Internationals, after hammering out as many as 111 runs in their
final seven overs, or around 16 runs per over. After India had managed just
three sixes in the first 12 overs of their innings, Ishan Kishan, Rinku Singh,
Suryakumar Yadav, Ruturaj Gaikwad, and Tilak Varma combined to wallop ten sixes
and five fours during that phase.
India finished with the second-highest T20I total
against Australia, who lost by 44 runs after three wickets apiece from Ravi
Bishnoi and Prasidh Krishna broke their back. That increase in the scoring rate
ultimately proved to be the difference.
Australia were 58 for 4 in the eighth over, and their
only real threat to India came when Tim David and Marcus Stoinis hit 81 off 38
deliveries for the fifth wicket. However, Bishnoi had David caught for 37 off
22 in the 14th over, and it was essentially a formality for India when Stoinis
was bowled out by Mukesh Kumar for 45 off 25 in the following over.
After losing 5 for 16, Australia’s middle and lower
order collapsed, giving India a 2-0 lead in the five-match series.
As early as the second over of India’s innings, Nathan
Ellis’ slower deliveries caused India’s openers to misjudge their shots,
indicating that the pitch at the Greenfield International Stadium was slower
than average. But Yashasvi Jaiswal made sure the powerplay concluded with a
massive 77.
Abbott was hammered for 4, 4, 4, 6, 6 off the opening
five balls by Jaiswal, who alone smashed 53 from 25 balls inside the first six.
It concluded with two pulls for sixes over deep square leg after two boundaries
were cut to point.
Kishan and Gaikwad could only muster 47 runs in the
following seven overs following the powerplay. But as India entered the last
overs, Kishan, who had scored 26 runs off of just 22 balls, hammered out
another 26 from his next ten. Before ruining Sangha’s day with two more sixes
in the fifteenth over, he had already struck two sixes and a four off Maxwell
in the fourteenth over. After reaching his half-century mark with the second of
those, Stoinis finished on 52 off 32 balls.
Rinku arrived and faced nine of the remaining 14
balls. He struck out at 344.44, going six deliveries to and over the boundary
his route to an undefeated thirty-one. Three of the hits were pulled; one went
for six over midwicket, and the other two went for four each to deep square leg
and deep midwicket.
Naturally, Matthew Wade had chosen to bowl, and both
captains anticipated that dew would be involved in the second half of the game.
But even as India was batting, dew had begun to form, and the hosts had to
leave Australia at a needed pace of about 12 an over. They were compelled to
continue swinging because of the pressure, and although they quickly lost 4 for
27 by the eighth over, they had raced to 31 without losing in the first two
overs.
Josh Inglis, the first T20I centurion, was caught for
two by Tilak with a clean, well-timed catch, while Bishnoi took two of the
first four wickets. At that point, Stoinis and David united and launched a
counteroffensive, but a meltdown on either side of that rapid partnership left
Australia in must-win territory ahead of the third T20I.