Eman 
ZeeaK 
Australia cruised to a comfortable four-wicket win over India in the second T20I at the Melbourne Cricket Ground (MCG), seizing a crucial 1-0 lead in the series. The match was defined by a stunning bowling masterclass from Josh Hazlewood and a rapid, aggressive chase led by captain Mitchell Marsh.
India’s Innings: The Hazlewood Hurricane
Electing to bat first, India’s star-studded batting lineup crumpled against the hostile Australian attack. They lost four wickets in the Powerplay—a rarity for the team—as the bowlers exploited the steep bounce of the MCG pitch.
Josh Hazlewood (3/13) was the chief destroyer, deploying Test-match precision to dismantle the top order. Shubman Gill struggled and was dismissed, followed quickly by the exits of Sanju Samson and captain Suryakumar Yadav, the latter courtesy of a smart catch by Josh Inglis.
Standing alone amidst the chaos was opener Abhishek Sharma. Despite being starved of the strike as wickets tumbled, Sharma played an innings of incredible quality and courage. He raced to a fifty off just 23 balls, anchoring the innings with a defiant 68 off 37 deliveries. Supported briefly by a patient 35 from Harshit Rana, the pair managed a half-century partnership, pushing India past 100.
However, the short-ball strategy paid dividends for Australia. Nathan Ellis removed both Rana and eventually outsmarted Sharma himself, ending India’s innings prematurely at 125 in 18.4 overs.
Australia’s Chase: Marsh’s Aggressive Finish
Chasing a modest target of 126, Australia began with blistering pace. Openers Travis Head and Mitchell Marsh immediately attacked, striking boundaries to take the score past 50 in under five overs.
Marsh, after a cautious start, accelerated sharply in the middle overs, striking two sixes and two fours in a single over off Kuldeep Yadav before being dismissed four runs short of his fifty. Head (28) also contributed to the fast start before falling to Varun Chakaravarthy.
Despite losing a few quick wickets late—with Varun Chakaravarthy (2/23) and Jasprit Bumrah (2/26) managing a spirited fightback—Australia’s initial momentum proved irreversible. Marcus Stoinis finished the formalities, sealing the four-wicket victory in only 13.2 overs. This margin of win handed India their second-largest T20I loss in terms of balls remaining.
Brief Scores:
India 125 all out (Abhishek Sharma 68; Hazlewood 3-13) lost to Australia 126/6 (Mitchell Marsh 46; Chakaravarthy 2-23) by 4 wickets.
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image credit : cricbuzz
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