All-rounder Axar Patel had returned figures of 2/20. (BCCI Photo)India’s spinners took six wickets in a stunning fight back to rout Australia by 48 runs in the fourth T20I on the Gold Coast on Thursday. India have taken a a 2-1 series lead into the fifth and final match in Brisbane on Saturday, blowing Australia away for 119 in their chase of 167 for eight. India thus cannot lose the series now, with Australia’s best possible result if they win at the Gabba being a 2-2 draw.
Washington Sundar, who bowled for the first time this series, took 3-3 in 1.2 overs while fellow all-rounder Axar Patel had 2-20 early in the Australian chase. Axar and Shivam Dube’s early inroads first dented the Australian chase after they got off to a good start. Australia spinner Adam Zampa and paceman Nathan Ellis took three wickets apiece for the hosts to restrict India to what had seemed a below-par total after home captain Mitchell Marsh won the toss and elected to field.
Australia cruised past 60 for the sole loss of opener Matt Short (25) but the chase went awry as they lost 3-12 in the late-middle overs to fall to 103 for six. India stifled the batters of runs after the powerplay and they eventually reaped the fruits of that, with Australia losing their last nine wickets for 52 runs at Carrara stadium. It was a freefall for the hosts after that, with Marcus Stoinis falling to Sundar after being stifled for runs by Chakravarthy and Arshdeep Singh. Jasprit Bumrah also eventually struck to reduce Australia to their last wicket, which was eventually taken by Sundar.
While it had looked like India had compiled only a sub-par total, captain Suryakumar Yadav said after the match that they realised early on that this was not an easy ground to score on. “The way Shubman and Abhishek started, they knew this was not a 200-220 wicket,” he said. “They batted very smartly. It was a complete team effort from the batters.”
Australia captain Mitchell Marsh, meanwhile, said that the target was chaseable and praised the Indians. “We failed to go over the line. Fair play to India and they are a world class team,” he said. Australia were without a couple of key players in opener Travis Head and fast bowler Josh Hazlewood, both of whom played a role in their victory in the second T20I. Both players have been released to play in the domestic first class competition in preparation for the Ashes.
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