NEW DELHI: India suffered a dramatic collapse in the fourth T20I against Australia, losing six wickets for just 46 runs in the final six overs to finish at 167/8. At 121/2 after 14 overs, India looked well set for a big total before Nathan Ellis's superb spell of 3/21 from four overs turned the game around in Australia's favour.
Abhishek Sharma (28 off 21) and Shubman Gill (46 off 39) gave India a steady start, stitching a 56-run opening stand before the innings lost momentum.
Promoted to No. 3 to take on Adam Zampa, Shivam Dube managed 22 off 18 but failed to convert his start, while captain Suryakumar Yadav (20 off 10) flashed brief brilliance with two sixes before falling cheaply.
Zampa leaked 45 runs in his four overs but more importantly he got three wickets including the dangerous Abhishek.
Abhishek stepped out to Zampa in the second ball of his opening spell and dispatched it down the ground for a maximum. The southpaw tried to hit another one out of the park two balls later but was caught at long on.
Abhishek could have been out off the game's second ball off left-arm pacer Ben Dwarshuis but Xavier Bartlett grassed the early opportunity.
Abhishek's friend and opening partner Gill, who is yet to make an impact in the series, had to work hard for his runs. He released some pressure with a massive hit off Marcus Stonis in the cow corner region before falling to a back of the hand slower one from Ellis.
The wickets kept falling thereafter, robbing the innings of any flow. Axar Patel (21 not out off 11) got the much needed boundaries towards the end to push the total past 160.
(With PTI Inputs)
