Trounce Australia 4/1 in 5 match series
India secured a hard-fought triumph over Australia in the final T20 match of their 5-game series, culminating in a resounding 4-1 victory against the reigning T20 World Champions. Wickets from Mukesh Kumar, Ravi Bishnoi, and Arshdeep Singh propelled India’s defense in the second innings, cementing their dominance over the visitors.
The initial innings witnessed India grappling with a modest score, courtesy of Australia’s disciplined bowling performance. Despite dynamic contributions from Jaiswal and Jitesh Sharma, India lost wickets at regular intervals, compelling Shreyas Iyer to anchor the innings. Iyer’s composed half-century steered India to a total of 160 runs for the loss of 8 wickets, a margin just sufficient to thwart their opponents.
India’s bowling unit exhibited formidable prowess throughout. Each bowler tirelessly exerted pressure, capitalizing on pivotal moments to claim wickets. While Travis Head initiated aggressively in the opening stages, Ben McDermott and Tim David orchestrated a pivotal 47-run partnership during the middle overs, with McDermott reaching a spirited half-century. However, the Indian spinners’ composure contained the Australian onslaught, culminating in a climactic final over where Arshdeep Singh sealed the victory for the home team.
Facing a requirement of 10 runs from the last 6 deliveries, with Matthew Wade at the crease, the odds seemed in favor of an Australian victory. Yet, Arshdeep Singh displayed remarkable composure, delivering two dot balls before dismissing Wade on the third delivery. The loss of Wade with three balls remaining struck a blow to the Australians, leaving them unable to secure a boundary in the final three deliveries.
Looking ahead, India gears up for a rigorous away tour against South Africa, commencing with a series of 3 T20 matches on December 12th. Meanwhile, Australia heads home to host Pakistan in a 3-match Test Series, slated to begin on December 14th.
India – 160 for 8 in 20 overs (Shreyas Iyer 53, Axar Patel 31, Jitesh Sharma 24, Ben Dwarshius 2 for 30, Jason Behrendorff 2 for 38, Aaron Hardie 1 for 21)
Australia 154 for 8 in 20 overs (Ben McDermott 54, Travis Head 28, Matthew Wade 22, Mukesh Kumar 3 for 32, Ravi Bishnoi 2 for 29, Arshdeep Singh 2 for 40)
