IMAGES of the T20 World Cup warm up match played between India and Australia at the Gabba in Brisbane on Monday
A brilliant knock from KL Rahul and a three-wicket haul masterclass by Mohammed Shami helped India inflict a 6 runs defeat on Australia and bundled out hosts for 180 in ICC T20 World Cup warm-up match here at the Gabba in Brisbane on Monday.
For India, Mohammed Shami bagged a stunning three-wicket haul while veteran pacer Bhuvneshwar Kumar scalped two wickets.
Meanwhile, Aaron Finch played the captain's knock of 76 runs off 54 while Mitchell Marsh scored 35 off 18. Chasing a target of 187, Australia got off to a good start as their openers Aaron Finch and Mitchell Marsh gathered 52 runs in five overs without losing a wicket. The 64 runs partnership stand for the first wicket was broken as Bhuvneshwar Kumar delivered a big blow to Australia dismissing Marsh for 35 off 18.
Marsh's wicket invited Steven Smith to the crease. In the 10th over of the innings, Finch and Smith hammered Harshal Patel for 15 runs.
In the 11th over Yuzvendra Chahal broke the Australian momentum as he removed Smith for 11 off 12. Australia's star all-rounder Glenn Maxwell then came out to bat.
Maxwell slammed Chahal for 15 runs while hammering back-to-back two fours in the 13th over of the match. Finch in lethal form destroyed Arshdeep Singh as he slammed the Indian bowler for 17 runs in the 14th over of the innings. Finch also brought up his fifty while hammering Indian bowlers all around the ground. At this point, no Indian bowlers were able to restrict Australian batters from smashing runs.
Experience pacer Bhuvneshwar gave his team a big breakthrough as he dismissed Maxwell for 23 runs off 16 balls. In the last three overs, Australia needed 29 runs to win.
Harshal Patel was brought back into the attack and he proved his captain's decision right as he removed well-set batter Finch for 79 off 54 in the 19th over of the innings. The Australian captain's knock was decorated with seven fours and three sixes. At the same over Tim David was run out by Virat Kohli.
In the penultimate over Australia needed 11 runs to win and Virat Kohli displayed his fine fielding as he took a one-handed catch of Pat Cummins. On the very next ball of the over Ashton Agar was run out without opening his tally. On the fifth delivery of the over Shami bowled out Josh Inglis for one run and bundled out the hosts for 180. Shami delivered a stunning last-over spell of 2, 2, W W W W, helping India to defeat Australia by 6 runs.
Top knocks by KL Rahul and Suryakumar Yadav guided India to a total of 186/7 against Australia in the ICC T20 World Cup warm-up match at the Gabba in Brisbane on Monday.
KL Rahul smashed 57 off 33 while Suryakumar Yadav scored 50 off 33. For Australia Kane Richardson took four wickets while Glenn Maxwell and Ashton Agar bagged one wicket each. Put to bat first, India got off to a decent start as opener KL Rahul hammered Australian bowlers all around the ground, smashing 56 runs in just 5 overs of the innings. Rahul brought up his half-century in just 27 balls.
Skipper Rohit Sharma also shifted gears and slammed Glenn Maxwell for a six and a four in the sixth over of the innings. At the end of the powerplay, Team India's score read 69/0.
In the 8th over of the innings, Maxwell provided his team with a big breakthrough as he dismissed Rahul for 57. Rahul's wicket brought in-form batter Virat Kohli to the crease.
Ashton Agar then provided his team with the big wicket of India captain Rohit as he tried to pull a ball to deep mid-wicket but handed an easy catch to Maxwell in the 9th over. Rohit departed after scoring 15 runs in 14 deliveries. After 10 overs of play, India's score read 89/2.
Suryakumar Yadav and Kohli hit Australian bowlers for boundaries while taking singles at regular intervals. Kohli's stint on the crease was cut short when he was dismissed by Mitchell Starc after scoring 19 from 13 balls.
Hardik Pandya then came out to bat, but the could not do much and departed after just scoring two runs. India kept losing wickets at regular intervals as the batters struggled against Australian bowlers after 10 overs.
Dinesh Karthik then came out to bat. He tried to pull but it went straight to the fielder stationed at deep mid-wicket on the delivery of Richardson. Karthik departed after playing a cameo of 20 runs in 14 delivery.
However, Suryakumar continued the carnage. He hammered Pat Cummins for 14 runs in the 18th over of the innings. In the last over of the innings, Suryakumar brought up his half-century off 33.
In the last over of the innings, Richardson gave India back-to-back blows dismissing Suryakumar and Ravichandran Ashwin to restrict the Men in Blue to a total of 186/7 in 20 overs of the innings.
