2nd T20I, all-round Australia demolish India at MCG: Key stats
What's the story
In what can be called a one-sided contest, Australia hammered India by four wickets in the second T20I of the five-match series at the Melbourne Cricket Ground. Despite Abhishek Sharma's 68, India were folded for 125 while batting first. Josh Hazlewood claimed three wickets. The hosts crossed the line despite losing some wickets toward the end. Mitchell Marsh led from the front, scoring 46.
1st innings
Abhishek showcased his talent and composure under pressure
Each of Hazlewood's three wickets came in the powerplay as India were reduced to 49/5. Abhishek then joined forces with Harshit Rana (35), as the duo scripted a 56-run stand. The former eventually went down as the ninth batter as India were folded for 125 in 18.4 overs. No other Indian batter besides Rana and Abhishek could enter double digits.
Chase
Marsh powers the run chase
The Aussies were off to a perfect start with openers Marsh (46) and Travis Head (28) adding 51 runs in no time. Though spinners Kuldeep Yadav, Varun Chakaravarthy, and Jasprit Bumrah went on to share six wickets, the Aussies comfortably prevailed with 40 balls to spare. Josh Inglis contributed with 20 runs as Australia went 1-0 up in the series.
Stats
Sixth T20I fifty for Abhishek
Abhishek smashed eight fours and two sixes en route to his 37-ball 68. This was his sixth T20I fifty as he also boasts a couple of tons. The top-ranked T20I batter has now raced to 936 T20I runs at an average of 37.44 (SR: 193.38). As per ESPNcricinfo, Abhishek smashed the joint-fastest T20I fifty by an Indian batter Down Under, off 23 balls.
Feats
Abhishek joins this list
As per Cricbuzz, Abhishek has now taken his tally to seven fifties in 25 or fewer balls in T20Is - the joint most for any batter. He now shares this unique record with Suryakumar Yadav, England's Phil Salt, and West Indies's Evin Lewis among players from full member nations.
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35 for Harshit Rana
Rana, who surprisingly batted at number seven ahead of Shivam Dube, made his chance count. He scored a vital 35 off 33 balls with the help of three fours and a six. This is now his highest T20 score, surpassing his previous 34.
Hazlewood
Hazlewood goes par with Starc
Hazlewood bowled all his four overs on the bounce to finish with 3/13. The pacer has now raced to 79 T20I wickets at an economy of 21.26 With this spell, Hazlewood has now become Australia's joint-second-highest wicket-taker in T20Is. He equaled Mitchell Starc's record. Meanwhile, Hazlewood just had four wickets in his previous seven T20Is against India.
Marsh
2,000 T20I runs for Marsh
Marsh smashed four sixes and two fours en route to his 26-ball 46. During his stay, the dasher became the fourth Aussie batter to go past 2,000 T20I runs. He joined David Warner, Aaron Finch, and Glenn Maxwell on this list. Playing his 78th T20I, Marsh has raced to 2,042 runs at 33.47. His strike rate is a fine 140.63 (50s: 11, 100: 1).
Bowlers
Other bowlers with two wickets in the game
While Hazlewood was the stand-out bowler for the Aussies, Xavier Bartlett and Nathan Ellis also took two wickets apiece. The former finished his four-over spell with 4/39. Meanwhile, Ellis finished with 2/21 from 3.4 overs. From the Indian camp, spinners Kuldeep and Chakaravarthy trapped two batters each. While Chakaravarthy conceded just 23 runs in his four-over spell, Kuldeep went for 44 in 3.2 overs.
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Two scalps for Bumrah as well
Intrestingly, India's ace pacer Jasprit Bumrah struck twice when the Aussies needed just two runs to win. The star pacer finish his four-over spell with 4/26.
DYK
Unwanted record for India
As per Cricbuzz, India suffered their second-biggest T20I defeat in terms of balls spare (40). Topping the list is India's loss to the Aussies with 52 balls remaining at the same MCG stadium in 2008. Meanwhile, India's loss also marks the end of Shivam Dube's streak of 37 unbeaten T20Is. No other player has an unbeaten streak of 30-plus T20Is.