Key events
We’ll be back on Sunday to cover game three of the five-match T20 series. We would ordinarily expect India to bounce back anyway, but the absence of Josh Hazlewood for the rest of the series will be a reasonable leveller too.
Here is the full report of Australia’s four-wicket victory over India in front of more than 82,000 fans at the MCG.
Mitch Marsh continued his strong start to the summer with 46 runs that not only set up the successful chase but also would have boosted his hopes of a recall for the Ashes. The Australia skipper says all the right things while speaking on Fox Sports.
It was a good toss to win. There was a bit of moisture and ‘Hoff’ [Hazlewood] is a great bowler when there’s something in it. We wanted to take a couple of wickets early. I think since the last World Cup we have tried to really build a squad of 25 players who can come to the World Cup and feel a part of the team and be connected to everyone.
I was a bit nervous [batting] but got going in the end. Head took the pressure off. Should be a good three games to come.
India will be pleased to see the back of Josh Hazlewood who will leave the T20 squad to ramp up his preparations for the Ashes. The Australia quick is named player of the match for his classy opening spell that was well worth the 3 for 12 he finished with.
The ball feels like it’s coming out nicely at the moment no matter what format I’m playing. I’m just trying to put the ball in the right areas and see what happens. Everything feels in a good place and I’m ready to go. I think there’s no better place to learn than here.
Nathan [Ellis] does his job every time, bowls some of the tough overs. So we’ll have a lot of quicks fighting for spots soon. I’ll head home tomorrow and still have time to prepare with a Shield game and then head to Perth for the first Test.
Australia win by 4 wickets
Mitch Marsh has bolstered his hopes of a Test recall for the Ashes with a quick-fire 46 to set up Australia for a commanding four-wicket victory over India in the second T20I at the MCG. The white-ball skipper punished the India attack from the top of the order alongside Test regular Travis Head (28) as Australia chased down the modest 126-run target with 40 balls remaining.
Marsh looked comfortable against the new ball – admittedly coloured white rather than a dark shade of red – to race to 46 from 26 deliveries with four sixes and two boundaries before holding out while attempting to bring up his half-century in style. Josh Hazlewood put Australia in a strong position from the start as he bowled out a four-over spell and finished with 3 for 13 to have India on the ropes before they were even out of the powerplay.
India opener Abhishek Sharma played a lone hand with 68 from 37 balls and Harshit Rana (35) helped add respectability to the score as the tourists were all out for 125. But when Marsh and Head had already fired Australia to 49 without loss after four overs, not even late fireworks from Jasprit Bumrah (2 for 26) could turn the game on its head.
13th over: Australia 124-6 (Stoinis 4, Bartlett 0) Jasprit Bumrah adds some light fireworks with two wickets in two deliveries but Xavier Bartlett is just good enough to fend off the hat-trick ball.
WICKET! Short b Bumrah 0 (Australia 124-6)
Jasprit Bumrah has two in two balls. A cracking yorker is too much for Matt Short and he is one his way first ball. Bumrah is on a hat-trick.
WICKET! Owen c Samson b Bumrah 14 (Australia 124-5)
Mitch Owen winds up and the finest of nicks is enough to have the powerhouse on his way. Bumrah is moving the ball away nicely under lights, and he was ready to review the decision before the pensive umpire belatedly raises a finger.
12th over: Australia 121-4 (Owen 12, Stoinis 3) Kuldeep picks up his second wicket with Inglis out lbw but Owen is in a hurry to finish this off. The Tasmanian slogs a six over midwicket as Australia move to within reach of the win.
WICKET! Inglis lbw b Kuldeep Yadav 20 (Australia 112-4)
Josh Inglis rocks his head back in disbelief as India’s review pays off this time as the replay shows approximately 51% of the ball is hitting the stumps – but just enough to avoid it staying with umpire’s call. Kuldeep pitches the ball on leg stump and it holds its line to send Inglis on his way.
11th over: Australia 110-3 (Inglis 18, Owen 6) Mitch Owen hits across the line but misses the ball that cannons into his pads. India appeal with a hint of desperation and send the decision upstairs for a review that shows the ball was creeping over leg stump. The Australia pair ease through the over with four singles and two more to Inglis.
10th over: Australia 104-3 (Inglis 14, Owen 5) DROPPED! Mitch Owen winds up but fails to connect cleanly as Varun Chakravarthy runs backwards and Harshit Rana comes charging in off the rope. Varun stops, starts, and causes mass confusion as Rana grasses the catch at mid-on. Varun rightly claims responsibility though. Josh Inglis begins the over by punishing a full toss from Kuldeep Yadav with a reverse sweep off middle to the rope at backward point. India are fighting hard but running out of runs to protect.
9th over: Australia 92-3 (Inglis 6, Owen 1) Tim David is on his way after a soft dismissal and Australia suddenly need to rebuild through the middle order. India are in the inglorious position of having nothing to lose.
WICKET! David c & b Varun 1 (Australia 90-3)
Tim David is caught in two minds before trying to defend a quicker ball that bounces off the top of the bat and back to Varun Chakravarthy. India have a glimmer of hope.
8th over: Australia 87-2 (Inglis 3, David 0) A stunning over from Mitch Marsh as the Australia skipper plunders four, six, four, dot, six but then is dismissed trying to add another boundary. It was an ugly over from Kuldeep as he continually dragged the ball down and gave Marsh plenty of time but he ends it with a wicket and a wry grin on his face.
WICKET! Marsh c Abhishek b Kuldeep 46 (Australia 87-2)
Mitch Marsh hammers Kuldeep for two sixes and a pair of boundaries but the rush of blood gets too much as he fails to pick the wrong’un and skies a ball into the clouds and to Abhishek Sharma at mid-off. The Australia skipper has set up his side for victory with 46 from 26 balls including four sixes and a couple of fours.
7th over: Australia 67-1 (Marsh 19, Inglis 10) SIX! Josh Inglis was excellent behind the stumps during India’s innings and now the Australia keeper gets in on the big hitting with a huge straight drive. Two India fielders close in from either side of the ball drop but not before it hammers into the sightscreen.
6th over: Australia 56-1 (Marsh 15, Inglis 3) Jasprit Bumrah returns from the opposite end of the MCG to bowl out the powerplay as India need wickets if they are any hope to pull this out of the bag. The Australia paid are content with three singles and a couple to Inglis.
5th over: Australia 51-1 (Marsh 13, Inglis 0) Varun Chakravarthy picks up the critical wicket of Travis Head but Australia are already beyond 50 and within sight of their 126-run target.
WICKET! Head c Tilak Varma b Varun 28 (Australia 51-1)
Acrobatics on the boundary with Tilak Varma skipping either side of the rope to complete a clever catch to dismiss Travis Head. India call on spin with this game getting away from them and Varun Chakravarthy gets the breakthrough. Head departs after 15 balls with one six and three boundaries.
4th over: Australia 49-0 (Marsh 12, Head 27) SECOND TIER! Mitch Marsh hooks Harshit Rana into the second tier of the MCG. That’s a monster shot from the man that some call the Bison. The Australia skipper almost adds another from the next delivery but the straight drive falls short of the rope and stops in its tracks. Travis Head kickstarted it all with a six over square leg and a thick edge for four to begin the over.
3rd over: Australia 29-0 (Marsh 4, Head 16) Travis Head is not one to die wondering as he dispatches a straighter delivery from Bumrah off middle stump and through midwicket to the rope. The next ball goes off his hip for two at square leg, then Head finds three more with a classic cut shot. Not even the keeper can pick which way Bumrah is moving the ball as a ferocious inswinger beats everyone on the way to the boundary. A rare wild delivery from the India star down the leg side adds five wides as an expensive over has Australia well on their way.
2nd over: Australia 11-0 (Marsh 4, Head 7) Travis Head picks up the first boundary of the innings with a thick edge over first slip. Harshit Rana can’t contain the singles as Australia begin on their journey towards a meagre target.
1st over: Australia 4-0 (Marsh 3, Head 1) Bumrah picks up where he left off last summer – having Australia batters in all sorts. Mitch Marsh wafts at the first delivery and is fortunate not to make any contact. The India quick’s first to Travis Head is even better but somehow misses the edge. Marsh ends the over picking the inswinger but only a thick edge picks up two at square leg.
Jasprit Bumrah is lining up with Mitch Marsh on strike… can the cricket empire strike back!??
Australia have a deep batting lineup filled with powerhitters and will begin with two of the best – Mitch Marsh and Travis Head – at the top of the order. India quick Jasprit Bumrah will not unusually be the key to his side’s hopes of turning this contest around.
Australia need 126 to win
India’s batting collapse is complete as Jasprit Bumrah is run out looking for a quick single off his first delivery. The tourists are all out for 125 in 18.4 overs with Josh Hazlewood setting the tone with 3 for 13, while Nathan Ellis was important late and finished with 2 for 21 from 3.4 overs.
India’s thrillseeking opener Abhishek Sharma played a lone hand with 68 from 37 deliveries to drag his side to something resembling a competitive total, as Harshit Rana was the only other batter to reach double figures with 35.
WICKET! Abhishek Sharma lbw b Ellis 68 (India 125-9)
Abhishek can’t quite carry the bat as Nathan Ellis traps him plumb in front with a yorker. A stunning innings comes to an end with 68 coming from 37 balls with two sixes and eight boundaries.
18th over: India 125-8 (Abhishek 68, Varun 0) Abhishek Sharma takes a liking to Xavier Bartlett once again with another 15 runs. The opener picks the gap through cover to pick up his first boundary since the ninth over. Then hooks a slower ball for SIX at fine leg.
17th over: India 110-8 (Abhishek 53, Varun 0) Abhishek picks up one run to start the over and loses Kuldeep before he gets back on strike. The India opener will need to hang onto the strike now and aim for the boundaries.
WICKET! Kuldeep c Abbott (sub) b Stoinis 0 (India 110-8)
Kuldeep Yadav’s eyes light up as he pulls Stoinis in the air but Sean Abbott dives to take a smart catch at midwicket. Abhishek Sharma might run out of partners before he can get going again.