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29 March 2024

T20: Rohit, Kohli power India to T20 series win in Melbourne

Published
By Cricket Correspondent and Agencies

Rohit Sharma and Virat Kohli maintained their prolific form with the bat to secure India's series-clinching 27-run win over Australia in the second Twenty20 match at the Melbourne Cricket Ground on Friday.

Man-of-the-series in India's 4-1 defeat in the one-day internationals, Rohit hit a 47-ball 60 at the top of the order to give the touring side a fast start along with partner Shikhar Dhawan (42).

India, who were put in to bat, rode an opening stand of 97 to reach 184-3 in their 20 overs with Kohli providing a late assault in a strong top-order performance with a swashbuckling unbeaten knock of 59.

Kohli, who smashed an unbeaten 90 in India's 37-run win in Adelaide on Tuesday, hit seven boundaries and a six during his 33-ball knock.

Australia, who made six changes in the side from their last defeat, also made a strong start with captain Aaron Finch providing the fireworks.

Finch (74) and Shaun Marsh added 94 for the opening wicket to keep Australia, who handed T20 debuts to three players, in the hunt but India's spinners picked up quick wickets to halt their march.

Finch hit eight fours and two sixes in his 48-ball knock before he was run out trying to steal a quick single.

India captain Mahendra Singh Dhoni missed a regulation stumping off Marsh but made amends with smart work with the gloves to dismiss dangerman Glenn Maxwell for one off left-arm spinner Yuvraj Singh.

Dhoni was also lucky when the ball ricocheted off his pads to hit the stumps with James Faulkner out of his crease, the dismissal snuffing out Australia's hopes of levelling the series at 1-1.

The hosts could only manage 157-8 in their 20 overs. Left-arm spinner Ravindra Jadeja and Jasprit Bumrah picked up two wickets each for India.

The final match of the series will be played in Sydney on Sunday.

India thumped Australia by 27 runs to take an unassailable 2-0 lead in the three-match series.

Chasing a target of 185, Australia lost three wickets in three overs after a solid start from openers Finch and Marsh slumping to 124-3.

Australia lost wickets at regular intervals thereafer with Finch falling in the 16th over after a swashbuckling knock of 74 studded with eight boundaries and two sixes.

Jadeja and Bumrah claimed two wickets apiece.

Bumrah claims his second castling Tyne. Aus 157-8, 20 overs.

Andrew Tye b Bumrah 4 (4b 1x4)

Hastings is castled by Bumrah. Aus 152-7, 19.2overs.

John Hastings b Bumrah 4 (6b)

Faulkner departs to a freak stumping with the ball richocheting off Dhoni's pads onto the stumps. Aus 137-6, 17 overs.

James Faulkner st Dhoni b Jadeja 10 (7b 0x4 1x6)

Faulkner belts Jadeja for a towering six.

Finch battling hamstring injury falls just short with Dhoni running him out despite the throw being wide. Aus 124-5, 15.2 overs.

Aaron Finch run out 74 (48b 8x4 2x6)

Jadeja holds a superb return catch to dismiss Watson. Aus 121-4, 14.2 overs.

Shane Watson c & b Jadeja 15 (11b 2x4)

Watson gets going cracking a couple of boundaries off Pandya. Aus 115-3, 13 overs.

Yuvraj strikes as Maxwell perishes. Aus 101-3, 11.4 overs.

Glenn Maxwell st Dhoni b Yuvraj Singh 1 (2b)

Pandya strikes getting rid of Lynn. Aus 99-2, 10.5 overs.

Chris Lynn c Dhoni b Pandya 2 (4b)

Finch (64) survives as Dhawan drops a sitter but Marsh is not so lo lucky as India finally hold onto a chance. Aus 94-1, 9.5 overs.

Shaun Marsh c Pandya b Ashwin 23 (23b 2x4)

Ashwin is clubbed for a towering six by Finch who completes his half century of 27 balls.

Jadeja into the attack and Dhoni misses a stumping chance off Marsh. Aus 67-0, 7 overs.

Finch is leading Australia playing some glorious shots. Aus 62-0, 6 overs.

Finch cuts Nehra through point for a powerfully struck boundary as Australia maintain the momentum. Aus 48-0, 5 overs.

Finch gets another boundary off a top edge which flies over Dhoni. Aus 38-0, 4 overs.

Finch is turning it on getting three boundaries off Nehra with a couple of flicks on the leg side. Aus 30-0, 3 overs.

Finch gets into his stride by driving Bumrah down the ground for a boundary. Aus 14-0, 2 overs.

Marsh pulls the first ball from Bumrah through midwicket for a boundary as Australia begin chasing 185.

India innings

Half centuries from Rohit Sharma (60) and Virat Kohli (59 not out) have powered India to 184-3 after being put into bat.

Dhawan also weighed in with a breezy 42.

Dhoni falls failing to dig out a length ball from Tye. Ind 181-3, 19.4 overs.

MS Dhoni c Watson b Tye 14 (9b 2x4)

Kohli completes a 29-ball 50 by digging out a yorker from Tye to the cover boundary.

Australia get a lucky break as Rohit turns back for a non-existent second despite being sent back by Kohli. Ind 143-2, 16 overs.

Rohit Sharma run out 60 (47b 5x4 2x6)

Kohli is on fire blasting Boland for a six over long-off. Ind 134-1, 15 overs.

Kohli gets cracking slamming Hastings for three boundaries beginning with a slap to third man and over extra cover twice. Ind 122-1, 14 overs.

Rohit continues his golden summer in Australia by completing yet another half century off 37 balls.

Kohli walks out to thunderous applause at MCG which is packed to capacity with 60,000.

Australia finally get a breakthrough as Dhawan attempts to reverse sweep Maxwell only to pop a catch. Ind 97-1, 11 overs.

Shikhar Dhawan c Lynn b Maxwell 42 (32b 3x4 2x6)

Rohit has launched into a free hit from T20 debutant Lyon into the long-on fence. Ind 77-0, 8 overs.

Faulkner has gone for 27 in his first two overs with Dhawan giving him the charge to loft him over mid-on for a boundary and then upper cut him over the keeper for an extraordinary six. Ind 62-0, 7 overs.

India are off to a flying start despite being pegged back by debutant Tye. Ind 50-0, 6 overs.

Rohit slams three boundaries off Faulkner through fine leg with a paddle pull, straight down the ground before dabbing to third man. Ind 44-0, 5 overs.

Dhawan sizzles bisects two close-in fielders on the off and then swings Hastings into the crowd at midwicket for the first maximum. Ind 29-0, 4 overs.

Rohit gets into his stride by cracking Hastings through point for a delightful boundary.

Dhawan greets Hastings by whipping him to fine leg for a boundary. Ind 10-0, 2 overs.

Aaron Finch has won the toss and Australia have put India into bat in the second T20 international at Melbourne.

Australia have made several changes handing debut caps to Nathan Lyon, Andrew Tye and Scott Boland.

John Hastings and Glenn Maxwell come in for Australia. Shaun Tait is out.

India are unchanged.

Australia: AJ Finch, SE Marsh, CA Lynn, GJ Maxwell, SR Watson, MS Wade, JP Faulkner, JW Hastings, SM Boland, AJ Tye, NM Lyon

India: RG Sharma, S Dhawan, V Kohli, SK Raina, MS Dhoni, Yuvraj Singh, HH Pandya, RA Jadeja, R Ashwin, JJ Bumrah, A Nehra

First T20

India drew first blood in the three-match Twenty20 series when they beat Australia by 37 runs at the Adelaide Oval on Tuesday.

After Australian captain Aaron Finch won the toss and sent the visitors in to bat on both countries' national day, the Indians smashed their way to 188 for three thanks to a brilliant 90 not out from Virat Kohli.

The Australians started their run chase full of purpose, at one stage scoring at 11 runs an over. But once they lost David Warner (17), Aaron Finch (44) and Steve Smith (21) they never looked like chasing down the total.

Indian spinners Ravi Ashwin (2-28) and Ravindra Jadeja (2-21) proved the difference between the two teams as the Australian batsmen struggled to keep up the pace.