Press Trust of India
Melbourne, Jan 29: India recorded their first ever bilateral series triumph on Australian soil as they clinched the Twenty20 rubber by taking an unassailable 2-0 lead in the three-game series with a comprehensive 27-run victory in the second match here Friday at the MCG.
Put in to bat, India relied on brilliant knocks by Rohit Sharma (60, 47b, 5×4, 2×6), Virat Kohli (59, 33b, 7×4, 1×6) and Shikhar Dhawan (42, 33b, 3×4, 2×6) to post a formidable 184/3.
Defending the target, the Indian bowlers put up a fine collective effort to rip through Australia’s middle order and restrict the hosts to 157/8 in 20 overs. The last game of the series will be played Sunday at Sydney.
Chasing 185, Australia got off to a rollicking start as Shaun Marsh (23) paired up with skipper Aaron Finch (74, 48b, 8×4, 2×6) at the top and put on 94 runs in 9.5 overs.
Finch however, was distinctly lucky. India skipper MS Dhoni missed a regulation stumping chance of Ravindra Jadeja (2/32) and then the batsman survived three chances, dropped by Umesh Yadav, Rishi Dhawan and Shikhar between the ninth and 10th overs respectively.
But with Marsh’s departure, caught by Hardik Pandya at long-on, the Australian slide started. Pandya then had Chris Lynn caught by Dhoni and Yuvraj Singh removed the dangerous Glenn Maxwell. Suddenly from 94 without loss, the hosts were three for 101. They could never recover from that.
It became 121 for four when Jadeja took a stunning return catch to send back Shane Watson. And the match swung in India’s favour finally when Finch was run out off a superb throw from Jadeja again at extra-cover, finding the Australian skipper just short as Dhoni disturbed the bails.
Earlier, Rohit and Shikhar put on 97 runs in 66 balls before the Kohli show began. The India Test captain opened up the off-side with some beautifully timed shots that had the Aussie bowlers running for cover. He hit John Hastings for three boundaries in the 13th over and the innings got the boost it needed. Kohli duly completed his 11th T20 fifty and the Indians with a wet outfield to field on had placed the Aussies once more under pressure.
Ten runs came off the last over, and 41 off the last four, as Dhoni was caught at long-off off Andrew Tye while India coasted to a big finish.
