Hello and welcome to Sportstar’s highlights of the second T20I between India and Australia from Nagpur.
ANOTHER RECORD ALERT - India equals Pakistan for most T20I wins in calendar year
Sams with the last over. Karthik to face his first ball. Its into his pads and Karthik has no complaints as he deposits into the leg side fence for a six. A slow short ball is offered next and Karthik pulls it and its a four and it is an India win with four balls to spare. WHAT A WIN!!
Cummins with the penultimate over. A wide to start the over. Hardik creams a full length delivery over covers for his first four. 16 needed from 10. Hardik slices one and luckily for him it falls in no man’s land. Hardik isn’t lucky the second time out as he skies one and Finch safely holds on to it. Rohit cuts one and flies past cover for another four!! The form of this man!!!
Sean Abott is the new bowler for Australia. Rohit Sharma is fed a full length ball and he carves it inside out for a four. The skipper has been in a heavenly touch today. He then waits for a slow bouncer and pulls it beyond the short fine leg for another four. He has put India in touching distance of a win.
Kohli steps down and thumps Zampa back over his head for a four. But strikes back the next ball as he uproots Kohli’s leg stump. Suryakumar Yadav is the next batter and Zampa pins him on his pad and he is gone the first ball. Rohit advises SKY to not take the review and he walks back. What an impact Zampa is having in this game. Third wicket for him. Hardik survives the hattrick ball. 33 needed from 18 balls for India.
Suryakumar Yadav lbw b Zampa 0 (1b)
Virat Kohli b Zampa 11 (6b)
Daniel Sams gets an over. He bowls one short outside off and Rohit latches on to it to put it past point. FOUR. Kohli too joins the party. Smashes it straight past Sams and long on had no chance. FOUR!!
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Adam Zampa is introduced. Both Rahul and Rohit tries to charge him the first two balls and fails, But the third ball is in slot for Rohit and lifts him inside out for a SIX!! Zampa, though has his revenge as he puts one past Rahul’s attempted sweep. BOWLED!! And in walks Virat Kohli
KL Rahul b Zampa 10 (6b)
Pat Cummins comes in and he gets two dot balls in before Rohit dispatches him for a six. Manic start by the Indian skipper. Cummins not getting his usual bounce, but it is working to his favour as the ball evades Rahul and Rohit on different occasions.
Josh Hazlewood with the first over for Australia. KL Rahul greets him by knocking it to the off for a single. Hazlewood then beats Rohit Sharma with an outswinger. But, Rohit Sharma gets hold off the next one and launches it into the leg side. SIX!! The next ball is blasted into the square leg fence. Another SIX!! Electric start from the Indian skipper. Now it is the turn for the deputy to get into the action. Rahul whips one off his pads for another SIX!! Insane start from India.
India needs 91 in eight overs to pull level with Australia in this series. Rohit Sharma and KL Rahul to open the innings for India. Predictions of a rejigged batting order falls flat as India’s usual openers walk out.
AUSTRALIA 90/5 (8) - INNINGS
Harshal for the final over then. Smith gets a single first ball and Wade follows up with a huge SIX over mid-wicket. A poor ball on length from Harshal. Full toss from Harshal and Wade pumps it over deep cover for another SIX! Length again and Wade hammers it over square leg for the third SIX of the over! Full toss and Wade hits back to the bowler. Smith scampers for a single but Wade stands his ground as Harshal hits the stumps at the non-striker’s end.
Steve Smith run out (HV Patel) 7 (5b 1x4)
Bumrah hits length and Smith attempts to slog it across the line but gets an outside-edge past the keeper for FOUR. Tremendous riposte from Bumrah who floors Smith with a cracking yorker onto the foot. He gets a single. Bumrah offers length and Wade makes room to slam it past point for FOUR.
Harshal Patel into the attack. Poor start from Harshal as he offers room outside off twice to Wade who cashes in by slamming it through point and extra cover for FOURs.
Short from Bumrah and Finch cuts the ball over backward point for FOUR. Bumrah sends in a slower-ball and Finch miscues the ball safely over mid-wicket for a single. Finch and Wade exchange strike rate with some excellent running between the wickets. Bumrah to Finch, OUT! An absolute corker from Boom, Boom! Slides in an inswinging yorker onto the root off the leg-stump. Finch couldn’t have done anything but save his feet.
Aaron Finch b Bumrah 31 (15b 4x4 1x6)
Jasprit Bumrah into the attack
Axar Patel to Tim David, OUT! There goes another one. The ball skids through from length once again and keeps a tad low as David goes the Maxwell route by making room to hit through the on-side. Matthew Wade is in at 5. Axar constricts Wade with four tight deliveries - dot balls! Axar floats one outside the off-stump and Wade reverse-sweeps the ball past backward point for FOUR.
Tim David b AR Patel 2 (3b)
Tim David is off the mark with a single. Chahal wafts one in and Finch pumps it down the ground for SIX. Finch drags one down to wide long-on and gets two runs. 12 runs from the over.
Yuzvendra Chahal into the attack
Green miscues a slog towards long-off and Kohli gives a chase from wide long-on. A skier and Kohli drops it close to the fence and parries it over for FOUR. Axar to Green, OUT! Run out at the non-striker’s end and Green has to go. An excellent throw from Kohli at mid-on and Axar does well to gather flick the bails. Maxwell in at 3. Axar offers a hint of room and Finch slams it past cover for FOUR. A single to follow. Axar to Maxwell, OUT! Cleaned him up. Maxwell makes room for a rash heave and Axar rushes one through to hit the stumps. He falls for a golden duck!
Cameron Green run out (Kohli/AR Patel) 5 (4b 1x4); Glenn Maxwell b AR Patel 0 (1b
Axar Patel from the opposite end
Hardik starts off with a beauty. A gentle outswinger that touches full and just outside Finch’s outside-edge as it skids onto the keeper. Hardik hits the slot and Finch unleashes the scoop shot over Pant for SIX! Full and wide from Hardik and Finch slices it through point for FOUR. Hardik squares up Finch with a corker to finish. Finch attempts a pre-meditated flick as the ball springs up quickly off the deck.
Hardik Pandya to take the new ball.
And here we are, finally. Cameron Green and skipper Aaron Finch at the centre for Australia.
India Playing XI: Rohit Sharma(c), KL Rahul, Virat Kohli, Suryakumar Yadav, Hardik Pandya, Dinesh Karthik(w), Rishabh Pant, Axar Patel, Jasprit Bumrah, Harshal Patel, Yuzvendra Chahal
Australia Playing XI: Aaron Finch(c), Cameron Green, Steven Smith, Glenn Maxwell, Tim David, Matthew Wade(w), Pat Cummins, Daniel Sams, Sean Abbott, Adam Zampa, Josh Hazlewood
TOSS: India wins the toss, opts to bowl
Rohit Sharma: We’re going to field first. It’s nice, there are so many people who have come to watch us. It is nice to get a game. These games are challenging ones because you don’t know what to do. You just have to go out and express yourself. Hopefully we can put up a good show. Since it is an eight over game, we had to make two changes: Bumrah comes in for Umesh Yadav. Bhuvi misses out too and Pant comes in.
Aaron Finch: We would have bowled first as well. Chasing in a small gave would have been good. We’re happy with the way we played and the execution. We have two changes: Ellis is injured and Sams comes in. Sean Abbott comes in for Inglis.
Playing Conditions
- Toss at 9:15PM IST. Match to start at 9:30PM IST.
- 8 overs per side match.
- Two overs of PowerPlay.
- Two overs max. per bowler.
Good news, folks. Seems like we will indeed have a match. The players have walked out to warm up as we await the details on the playing conditions.
The next inspection is going on with the umpires inspecting the affected patch. They are now speaking to both captains. The groundstaff are seen sprinkling more sawdust on the outfield.
The umpires tell the broadcaster that the area of concern at wide mid-on is soft and and safe for players. They are hopeful the ground staff can dry it up in some time. Next inspection at 8.45pm.
The umpires complete another round of inspection.
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The latest update is that the next inspection will be at 8PM IST.
The umpires are currently having a walk around the ground for the inspection. Seems like there are still a few wet patches on the outfield.
While we wait for the toss, here’s our live coverage of the Laver Cup - the last dance of tennis maestro Roger Federer, tonight in London.
TOSS delayed. Inspection at 7PM.
The toss has been delayed due to wet outfield. An inspection will take place at 7PM IST.
Rahul Dravid and Rohit Sharma speak to the umpires after toss was delayed due to wet outfield. | Photo Credit: SPORTZPICS
PITCH REPORT
Going by Virat Kohli’s reaction, it seems like we have a huge surprise in store for tonight’s clash.
Virat Kohli during the warm-ups in Nagpur. | Photo Credit: SPORTZPICS
Positive signs ahead of the second T20I for India.
Positive signs from Nagpur after a spell of rain had cancelled the practice sessions the other day. It’s a clear evening at the venue so far.
Some competition going on in the nets.
India vs Australia in T20Is: Matches: 24; India won: 13; Australia won: 10; NR:!
MATCH PREVIEW
India’s vulnerable death over bowling will come under the scanner in the second T20I against Australia here on Friday.
Rain, however, could play spoilsport. Showers on Thursday forced the Indian team to cancel its evening training session. In the first T20I at Mohali, pacers Bhuvneshwar Kumar and Harshal Patel came apart in the closing stages. Matthew Wade feasted on a selection of dollies to comfortably take Australia past a stiff 209-run target.
From 55 runs needed off the last four overs, a ferocious Australia onslaught put an end to the contest with four balls to spare.
The basic errors committed by Bhuvneshwar and Harshal causes most concern. The speedsters served juicy leg-side short balls to Wade, who counts the pull shot as his strength. Harshal’s big weapon, the slower balls, were picked effortlessly. Bhuvneshwar, of late more effective with the new ball, could not land the yorkers and slow bouncers.
ndia will be tempted to draft Jasprit Bumrah, a death over specialist, into the playing eleven. Bumrah is making a comeback from an injury, and not was included for the Mohali fixture.
Left-arm speedster Arshdeep Singh, who proved at the Asia Cup that he can target the blockhole at will, is not in the squad. Umesh Yadav replaced a COVID-19-afflicted Mohammed Shami, but he was expensive as well.
The team management can slot Deepak Chahar in place of Umesh on Friday. Spinner R. Ashwin, left out in the first T20I, is another candidate who can shore up the bowling unit.
The bowling frailties undid the good work done by the batters. K. L. Rahul, criticised for a low strike rate, showed aggressive intent in his 35-ball 55. Suryakumar Yadav once again underlined his status as an exciting T20 talent with a rapid 46. Hardik Pandya the finisher came to the fore, smashing his way to an unbeaten 71 off 30 balls.
Pandya gave the Indian innings the perfect ending, with sixes off the last three deliveries.
Australia, meanwhile, looks every inch a settled unit. The reigning T20 World Cup champion has found a promising opener in Cameron Green.
Playing just his second T20I, Green batted fearlessly to make a 30-ball 61 on Tuesday. Steve Smith has efficiently taken on the anchor role from the injured Mitchell Marsh, while Wade delivers the final blow.
If the skies stay clear, India has a shot at redemption.
- Ashwin Achal
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