'World Class' India Defeat Australia by 48 Runs in T20I
India's spinners dominated as they secured a 48-run victory against Australia in the fourth T20 international on the Gold Coast, taking a 2-1 lead in the series.
India's Batting and Australia's Chase
After being put into bat, India posted a competitive total of 167 for 8. Australia started their run chase well, reaching 67 for 1, but the spinners Axar Patel and Varun Chakravarthy turned the game around.
- Axar Patel took 2 wickets for 20 runs with precise left-arm offspin.
- Varun Chakravarthy contributed with 1 wicket for 26 runs.
Australia’s innings collapsed as they lost their last nine wickets for just 52 runs, finishing all out for 119 in 18.2 overs.
Key Performances and Comments
Man of the match Axar Patel described his strategy:
"In these conditions bowling wicket to wicket was the most important thing."
Australian captain Mitch Marsh scored 30, supported by opener Matt Short’s 25, but their efforts were not enough.
"I thought walking off the ground that 167 was par on that wicket. India provided us with challenges with the bat. They are a world-class team,"Marsh said.
Australia needed 91 runs from the last 10 overs, but key player Tim David was dismissed by Shivam Dube, who had earlier taken Marsh's wicket, halting the Australian momentum.
Series Outlook
The series will conclude with the final match at the Gabba on Saturday, where Australia must win to level the series.
Summary: India's spinners expertly controlled the game, securing a crucial 48-run win and putting Australia under immense pressure ahead of the final T20I.