Australia defeated India by four wickets in the second T20 International at the Melbourne Cricket Ground (MCG), comfortably chasing down a modest total to take a 1-0 lead in the five-match series.
After the first match was washed out by rain, the home side put on a dominant display, showcasing superior bowling discipline and aggressive batting to secure the win with 40 balls to spare.
India’s Batting Collapse
Australian captain Mitchell Marsh won the toss and elected to field, a decision immediately vindicated by his bowlers. The Indian top order crumbled under the pressure of seam movement and bounce, with the team reeling at 49 for 5 inside the first eight overs. Key batsmen including Shubman Gill, Sanju Samson, and Suryakumar Yadav all fell cheaply.
The only shining light for India was a brilliant counter-attacking innings from opener Abhishek Sharma, who smashed a quickfire 68 runs off just 37 balls, featuring 8 fours and 2 sixes. He found a resolute partner in Harshit Rana (35 off 33 balls), and the pair stitched together a crucial 56-run partnership for the sixth wicket to haul India past the 100-run mark. However, once Abhishek and Rana were dismissed, the lower order failed to contribute, and India were eventually bowled out for 125 in 18.4 overs.
- Top Performer (India): Abhishek Sharma (68 off 37 balls)
- Key Partnership: Abhishek Sharma and Harshit Rana (56 runs for the 6th wicket)
Hazlewood’s Masterclass and Australia’s Swift Chase
The chief architect of India’s collapse was veteran pacer Josh Hazlewood, who bowled a masterful spell of disciplined line-and-length bowling, finishing with exceptional figures of 3 wickets for just 13 runs in his four overs. He was well supported by Xavier Bartlett (2/39) and Nathan Ellis (2/21).
Chasing a target of 126, Australia’s openers, Travis Head (28 off 15) and skipper Mitchell Marsh (46 off 26), came out with an aggressive intent, putting on a blistering 51-run opening stand to virtually kill the contest in the Powerplay itself. Marsh, in particular, was destructive, hitting boundaries and sixes at will.
India’s spinners, Varun Chakravarthy (2/23) and Kuldeep Yadav (2/45), provided some late resistance, with Jasprit Bumrah (2/26) claiming two wickets in two balls late in the innings. However, the damage was already done. Australia completed the chase in just 13.2 overs, finishing at 126/6, with Marcus Stoinis and Xavier Bartlett guiding the team home.
- Player of the Match: Josh Hazlewood (3/13 in 4 overs)
- Top Scorer (Australia): Mitchell Marsh (46 off 26 balls)
Match Summary
| Team | Score (Overs) | Key Performers |
| India | 125 all out (18.4) | Abhishek Sharma (68), Harshit Rana (35) |
| Australia | 126/6 (13.2) | Mitchell Marsh (46), Travis Head (28) |
Result: Australia won by 4 wickets.Series Status: Australia leads the 5-match series 1-0.
India will now look to reassess their batting strategy and bounce back in the third T20I, scheduled for Sunday, November 2nd.
