India vs Australia Highlights 2nd T20: All-round India beats Australia by 44 runs, takes 2-0 series lead

Solid all-round performance from India with Ravi Bishnoi and Prasidh Krishna sharing six wickets among themselves with Arshdeep Singh, Axar Patel and Mukesh Kumar picking a wicket each. Chasing 236, Australia kept losing wickets and found some resistance through Marcus Stoinis and Tim David who threatened to stage a fightback. However, with Bishnoi removing David and Mukesh getting Stoinis, the game was shut for Australia as India won the match by 44 runs to take a 2-0 series lead.

Matthew Wade has played some exquisite shots, collecting his third six of the night, and the pick-up shot off Arshdeep where the ball flew into the stands was the pick of the shots. 

Matthew Wade received medical attention after a Prasidh Krishna delivery hit the Australian skipper in the box. Wade was in some pain and was down on his knees but recovered to resume his innings. 

Australia is on the verge of getting bowled out as Arshdeep Singh castles Adam Zampa with a brilliant yorker. India en route to taking a 2-0 series lead.

Prasidh Krishna has gained much-needed confidence and by castling Sean Abbott he put India well and truly on top. The pacer then finished the over by cleaning up Nathan Ellis to pick a three-wicket haul. 

Mukesh Kumar strikes and he removes the dangerous Stoinis who falls for a 25-ball 45 and this should be the game for India as the run rate has climbed up to 17 rpo. Stoinis wanted to go over the top but failed to clear mid-on as Axar Patel took a good catch. Australia needs 87 runs in 30 balls.

Ravi Bishnoi picks his third wicket and the partnership is broken as David falls while trying to go over the top. He was hurried in playing a back of length delivery but couldn’t find the elevation as Ruturaj Gaikwad takes a neat catch at long off. Bishnoi finishes with wonderful figures of 4-0-32-3.

A stump to stump line from Axar has kept Stoinis and David quiet and this is an excellent over given the manner the duo are batting. The Asking rate has gone up to 14 as Axar gives just four runs to finish with 4-0-25-1.

A very casual approach from Tilak Varma saw Marcus Stoinis extend his stay at the wicket and then the all-rounder muscled an Arshdeep slower one deep into the stands to add salt to the injury. 18 runs from the over and India needs to break the partnership that is already 73 in just 29 deliveries. 

Axar Patel trying to pull things back for India but David is playing a blinder as the 50-run partnership is up in just 22 balls and this is a stand that carries Australia’s hopes. Nine runs from Axar’s over and India needs wickets.

Tim David gets into the act and drills Mukesh through the covers for a lovely boundary and Australia needs plenty of those to make a match out of it. A hat-trick of boundaries, including two sixes in the last over, has given Australia a little bit of momentum. A free-hit saw David smoke a low full toss over the covers for a huge maximum. Australia turning the heat on India and the last six balls have got Surya worried. 

Ravi Bishnoi is back into the attack as Tim David joins Stoinis and the leg-spinner has been relentless with his nagging line and length, not allowing the batsmen any room and creating an opportunity of an inside edge. However, Stoinis connects twice and deposits over the long-off and straight down the ground for a couple of maximums. 

Prasidh Krishna is back into the attack and finally the pacer has a wicket. He packs off Steve Smith who perishes while trying to repeat a shot over the deep but this time the connection wasn’t right and Yashasvi Jaiswal takes a brilliant catch diving full stretch much to the delight of Prasidh. India on top. 

Mukesh Kumar into the attack and that’s smart captaincy from Surya. Australia under the pump having lost three in a tall run chase, but with Stoinis and Smith in the middle, India can’t breathe easy. Four runs from Mukesh’s first over.

Surya continues with spin but Maxwell isn’t afraid to take on Axar as he belts the spinner first for a boundary and then a maximum over the long-on region. However, Axar gets his man and wins the battle as Maxwell hits straight down the throat of Yashasvi Jaiswal at long-on. PowerPlay is done and dusted and it’s India on top. 

What a sensational grab from Tilak Varma at mid-on as Bishnoi picks his second wicket and Josh Inglis has to walk back. Varma paddled back after Inglis mistimed a shot, caught the ball, and executed his dive to perfection. Australia in trouble in chase of a huge score and it’s spin that is doing the trick for India. Glenn Maxwell joins Smith in the middle. 

Axar Patel into the attack and concedes just two runs from his first over as India has tightened screws. Prasidh however, will be hurting, as he almost had Smith back in the hut. 

Spin does the trick for India as Ravi Bishnoi knocks over Short with a brilliant googly as the batsman gets an inside edge and the leg stump takes a beating. Bishnoi with the breakthrough. 

Matthew Short has denied Prasidh Krishna in settling into a rhythm as the pacer continues to struggle with his line and length, having got dispatched to the boundary twice by Short. The bowler did create an opportunity to pack off Smith but Ruturaj Gaikwad dropped the catch. To add salt to the injury, Smith deposited Prasidh for a huge six over the fine leg boundary. 

Back for Australia’s chase and it’s Arshdeep Singh who has started the proceedings with the new ball with Steve Smith and Matthew Short opening the batting. Short hits the first boundary for Australia by standing tall and punching Arshdeep through the covers. Smith then whipped the fast bowler high and over mid-on for a boundary. 

India rode on fine half-centuries from Yashasvi Jaiswal, Ruturaj Gaikwad and Ishan Kishan to post a mammoth 235/4 in 20 overs. Cameos from Suryakumar and Rinku Singh helped the home side beef up the total as Sean Abbott had a forgettable night, leaking 56 runs in 3 overs, the most expensive bowler. This was a majestic batting show from the Indian top-order after being asked to bat first. Back for Australia’s reply in 10 minutes. 

Ruturaj falls for a brilliant 43-ball 58 after smoking Ellis for a huge maximum over the bowler’s head but he has done his job. Tilak Varma opened his account with a majestic six over the deep point region and he made it look so easy, playing through the line. Rinku Singh then fetched a boundary and a couple to help India post a huge total on board. What a fine batting show by the Indians. 

Rinku Singh gets into the act straightaway and has pounced on Abbott with a terrific pull shot as the ball beats the fielder at deep mid-wicket. The batsman then launched Abbott straight over the sight screen and the key was to get under the full toss and Rinku did that effortlessly. The 200 is up with Rinku depositing a short ball to the deep mid-wicket boundary. This is some assault from the southpaw as a misfield from Smith allowed the ball to roll past the mid-off ropes, and then Rinku finished the over with a sumptuous pull over the deep for a maximum. 25 runs from Abbott’s over and he has leaked 56 runs from his three overs! 

Ruturaj Gaikwad hits a sublime half-century off 39 deliveries and that’s a selfless knock from the opener who has lent a brilliant supporting hand to the likes of Yashasvi Jaiswal and Ishan Kishan who blasted away to their respective half-centuries. This is class batting, where Ruturaj held up one end while the others went hammer and tongs. Top knock. Meanwhile, Surya departs after failing to read an Ellis slower delivery and ended up spooning a simple catch to Stoinis at deep. 

Surya is continuing from where he has left in Visakhapatnam as he goes straight over the bowlers’ head for a huge maximum and that’s agony for Zampa and Australia. The ball has been changed after Surya smoked an 89-meter six, and the ball landed way beyond the sight screen. India is on track to cross the 220-run mark. 

Ishan falls while trying to up the ante as Stoinis has the last laugh. The batsman reached to belt a delivery that was bowled way outside of the off-stump, got into an awkward position, and attempted a one-handed shot, but the ball landed safely in the hands of the fielder at deep. Suryakumar walked in and got off the mark with his trademark six over the fine leg for a maximum. 

Ishan is making a statement with some sensational shots and this time, the batsman moves across the stumps, makes room and smokes the leg-spinner into the deep mid-wicket stands. Ishan then got to his half-century with another huge six to reach his second consecutive fifty in 29 balls. This is batting of the highest quality and not to forget the supporting hand Ruturaj is playing. India ready for the final flourish. 

The 50-run partnership between Ishan and Ruturaj is up in 46 balls and Ishan has broken away from the shackles with a huge six off Maxwell. The southpaw skipped down the track and belted the spinner straight into the stands and then swept to the fine leg region for a boundary. Ruturaj then joined the party by getting down on one knee and smashing Maxwell over the wide of deep mid-wicket for a maximum. India gaining momentum after some quiet overs in the middle. 

Sangha has been really impressive and has given just nine runs from his two overs and the leg-spinner has mixed his deliveries really well, not allowing the batsmen to free their arms. Ishan employs a slog-sweep and the ball just beats a diving Ellis at deep square for a boundary. India needs more of those. 

Marcus Stoinis is back into the attack and that’s really smart bowling from the all-rounder. He has taken the pace off the ball, deceiving the batsmen, but Ishan latched on to a slower delivery and hammered it over the deep mid-wicket for a much-needed maximum. 

Adam Zampa back into the attack and India will look to accelerate to breach the 220-run mark given the fact that dew will play a role. Currently, both Ishan and Ruturaj are dealing in singles as the search for boundaries continues.

The boundaries have dried up ever since Jaiswal departed as both Ishan and Ruturaj are struggling a bit to time the ball. Abbott handed Gaikwad a chance by failing to latch on to a return catch as the 100 comes up for India just at a half-way stage. Time for a drinks break. 

Sangha has come up with a different plan as he has been able to contain the Indian batsmen, unlike in the first T20 where he was taken to the cleaners. Bowling a middle and leg stump line, the trajectory is a bit loopy and slower through the air. A fielder at deep aiding the leg-spinner has worked for Australia. 

Ishan Kishan gets his first boundary as the southpaw drills Zampa down the ground and as expected the dew is slowly settling in as the towels are out in business. India will look to make the good start given by Jaiswal count and ride on the momentum. 

Tanveer Sangha enters the attack, and the leg-spinner bowls a tidy one, giving just four runs. Ishan is off the mark, with Ruturaj trying to find his feet in the middle. 

India bosses the PowerPlay and it’s Jaiswal who has dominated the Australian bowling attack with a brilliant half-century in just 24 balls with nine boundaries and two sixes at a strike rate of 220.83. However, Ellis had the last laugh as Jaiswal perished while trying to go after the bowler as he departs for a 25-ball 53 and the 77-run opening stand has been broken. Ishan Kishan is the new man in. 

Adam Zampa into the attack and there is absolutely no respite for Australia as Jaiswal continues to attack, fetching boundaries on either side of the wicket. More than power, it’s the timing that has been the highlight in Jaiswal’s batting. Ruturaj happy to play the role of second fiddle. 

4,4,4,6,6 - 24 runs from Sean Abbott’s first over and Jaiswal has dismantled the pacer. Phew! What a brilliant show by the opener as he welcomed the pacer with a hat-trick of boundaries peppering the backward point region and then a couple of sixes targetting the deep mid-wicket region to bring the 50 up for India. Abbott under pressure. 

Spin being introduced early into the attack and it’s Glenn Maxwell. Positive intent from Jaiswal as he went inside out to smack Maxwell over the extra cover region and that was a fabulous shot. The opener then brought the sweep shot, which resulted in a boundary to the vacant deep region. Gaikwad then creamed the spinner through the covers to fetch 15 runs in Maxwell’s first over. 

Nathan Ellis starts in excellent fashion as he cramps the Indian openers for room and the pitch has already shown signs of being a two-paced one. Just three runs from Ellis’ first over with Jaiswal trying a scoop but failing to connect. 

Pure class from Ruturaj as the opener opened his account with a sublime punch through the covers and that should ease some nerves after he got run out in the opening match without troubling the scorers. Yashasvi too, is also off the mark, as India is off to a sedate start. 

Ruturaj Gaikwad and Yashasvi Jaiswal are out in the middle and it will be Marcus Stoinis who will operate with the new ball. Here we go!

“We were also looking to chase looking at the amount of dew that was there last night. It’ll be a new challenge for us, to go out there and put a score and then defend it. The last game gave us a lot of confidence, the boys were great, we will carry the same momentum. Captaincy is a new challenge and responsibility, I’m enjoying it. We’re going in with the same team.”

Steven Smith, Matthew Short, Josh Inglis, Marcus Stoinis, Tim David, Glenn Maxwell, Matthew Wade(w/c), Sean Abbott, Nathan Ellis, Adam Zampa, Tanveer Sangha

Yashasvi Jaiswal, Ruturaj Gaikwad, Ishan Kishan(w), Suryakumar Yadav(c), Tilak Varma, Rinku Singh, Axar Patel, Ravi Bishnoi, Arshdeep Singh, Mukesh Kumar, Prasidh Krishna

Australia wins toss, opts to bowl first; India to bat

Murali Karthik and Matthew Hayden reckon that there will be dew after 7:30 PM and that the team winning the toss first should be looking to chase.

The IND vs AUS 2nd T20 will be live streamed on Jio Cinema. The match will be telecasted live on the Sports18 and Colors Cineplex TV channels in India.

Wicketkeepers: Ishan Kishan, Matthew Wade, Josh Inglis

Batters: Yasasvi Jaiswal, Suryakumar Yadav, Steve Smith, Rinku SIngh

All-rounders: Axar Patel

Bowlers: Arshdeep Singh, Jason Behrendorff, Sean Abbott

Team composition - IND 6:5 AUS | Credits Left: 12.5

Matthew Wade (c), Aaron Hardie, Jason Behrendorff, Sean Abbott, Tim David, Nathan Ellis, Travis Head, Josh Inglis, Glenn Maxwell, Tanveer Sangha, Matt Short, Steve Smith, Marcus Stoinis, Kane Richardson, Adam Zampa

Suryakumar Yadav (c), Ruturaj Gaikwad, Ishan Kishan, Yashasvi Jaiswal, Tilak Varma, Rinku Singh, Jitesh Sharma, Washington Sundar, Axar Patel, Shivam Dubey, Ravi Bishnoi, Arshdeep Singh, Prasidh Krishna, Avesh Khan, Mukesh Kumar

Right then, it’s time for the dice to roll once again as India and Australia will square off for the second time in the five-match series at the Greenfield International Stadium. From the East coast of Visakhapatnam, both team have travelled 1500-odd kilometres to dish out in what is expected to be a cracker of a contest.