Josh Hazlewood clinically dismantled a famed Indian top-order with a probing spell as Australia cantered to a four-wicket victory in the second T20 International at the Melbourne Cricket Ground on Friday.
In front of a 82,438-strong crowd, India suffered one of its most embarrassing batting collapse with as many as nine batters failing to reach double digits in a total of 125 in 18.4 overs.
Only Abhishek Sharma, in the form of his life, stood tall amid ruins with a combative 37-ball 68. With Harshit Rana (35 off 33 balls), he added 56 to take the total past 100-run mark after pacer Hazlewood (3/13) left the visitor reeling at 49 for five.
Hazlewood bowled an incredible 15 dot balls in his four-over spell to break the backbone of Indian batting and killed the contest within 20 minutes of start.
In reply, skipper Mitchell Marsh blasted his way to 46 off 26 balls with host completing the chase in only 13.2 overs losing six wickets. Most batters fell primarily in attempting audacious shots.
The silver lining apart from Abhishek’s innings was Varun Chakravarthy’s spell (2/23 in 4 overs) and Jasprit Bumrah’s (2/26 in 4 overs) pinpoint yorker to dismiss Matthew Short.
Most of the Indian batters found it tough to hit through the line due to extra bounce and the lengths that Australian pacers, especially Hazlewood, hit during their spells.
With three matches left in the series, Indian batters could take a leaf out of Abhishek’s book after he burnished his credentials as world’s numero uno T20 batter with some breathtaking strokes.
Abhishek played some outrageous shots on the off-side — slashes, check drives and lofted strokes — to race to a 23-ball half-century in his maiden appearance at the iconic venue. His knock comprised of eight fours and two sixes.
What worked for Abhishek was his ability to use the crease and ride the bounce at the same time but in the back-10, he was left frustrated with the lower middle-order batters who could not rotate the strike.
He didn’t get strike for close to five overs as Rana faced bulk of the deliveries, and later Shivam Dube and Kuldeep Yadav also consumed many balls.
At 110 for eight, Abhishek took it upon himself as he hooked Xavier Bartlett for a six and prior to that a boundary.
Abhishek Sharma scored 68 runs from 37 balls and was among the two batters to cross double-digits.
| Photo Credit:
AFP
Abhishek Sharma scored 68 runs from 37 balls and was among the two batters to cross double-digits.
| Photo Credit:
AFP
Hazlewood, immaculate as ever, bowled the Test-match length consistently in the 6-8 metre region, getting just the right amount of movement that had the top order in a tangle.
He softened Shubman Gill (5) with a well-directed bouncer that needed a mandatory concussion test after the batter survived a leg-before appeal to a fuller incoming delivery first up.
When Hazlewood bowled a fullish length outside off-stump, the Indian vice-captain’s chip shot to clear the mid-off fielder didn’t yield the desired result as Marsh grabbed an easy catch.
Before Gill would have cooled his heels, Nathan Ellis’ nip-backer found Sanju Samson (2) plumb in-front and he wasted a DRS review, aware that he won’t survive.
Hazlewood then bowled what would easily be the ball of the game. He first bowled a short ball that skipper Suryakumar Yadav had gloved trying to pull but Josh Inglis grassed it.
The next delivery was pitched up that saw the Indian skipper not move his feet and get squared up, handing an outside edge to Inglis.
Two balls later, Tilak Varma (0) edged a length ball from Hazlewood. The ball ballooned up for Inglis to complete another catch.
Once Axar was run-out, Harshit and Abhishek steadied the innings but the former played and missed often to put more pressure on the latter.
Published on Oct 31, 2025