India continue post-World Cup payback in T20 cricket series against Australia
Australia’s post-World Cup hangover continued after plunging to a 44-run loss to India in the second Twenty20 at Thiruvananthapuram.
A ragged bowling display allowed India to plunder a mammoth 235 for four on Sunday (Monday AEDT) before Australia replied with 191 for nine to go 2-0 down in the five-match series, one week after lifting the 50-over World Cup.
Cameos from Marcus Stoinis (45), Matthew Wade (42 not out) and Tim David (37) helped Australia, noticeably fatigued with half the team having been in India for the best part of two months due to the World Cup, avoid a bigger humiliation.
Sent in to bat, Ruturaj Gaikwad (58), Yashasvi Jaiswal (53), Ishan Kishan (52) and Rinku Singh (31 not out off nine balls) helped India to their highest total in T20s against Australia. It surpassed their previous best of 209 for eight, set three days ago at Visakhapatnam and was easily the best score at Greenfield International Stadium.
Jaiswal was the early aggressor, dominating India’s 77 for one powerplay, which was their best in T20s against Australia. The 21-year-old opener welcomed Sean Abbott to the bowling crease by going 4-4-4-6-6 to bring up his half-century inside the fourth over.
Australia bowled poorly with the new ball before regularly losing control as the dew set in, dishing up 12 wides and a no-ball, via a chest-high full-toss from Glenn Maxwell. Nathan Ellis (three for 45) picked up three of the four wickets, but was expensive, Abbott’s three overs were dispatched for 56 and Australia’s three spinners were ineffective.
Australia’s reply started poorly when Matt Short (19) was bowled by the leg-spinner Ravi Bishnoi for the second time in five deliveries this tour. Game one centurion Josh Inglis (two) fell to a wonderful catch from Tilak Varma, before Jaiswal snared successive smart catches to dismiss Maxwell (12) and Steve Smith (19) to have Australia reeling at 58 for four in the eighth over.
Stoinis and David gave Australia some hope but the end of their 81-run fifth-wicket stand triggered a collapse of 16 for five before Wade limited some of the damage, swinging hard to the finish. Bishnoi (3-32) and the seamer Prasidh Krishna (3-41) were India’s best bowlers.
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Game three is at Guwahati on Tuesday night (Wednesday morning AEDT).