NEW DELHI: India defended a modest total with a brilliant bowling display to beat Australia by 48 runs in the fourth T20 International, taking an unassailable 2-1 lead in the five-match series. Axar Patel and Shivam Dube shared four wickets between them to put Australia under pressure early in the chase.

Washington Sundar struck thrice towards the end as India comfortably defended 168, with Australia folding up for 119 in 18.2 overs after being 91 for 3 at one stage. The final T20 will be played in Brisbane on November 8.

Middle-order collapse hands India the advantage

Australian openers Matthew Short (30 off 24) and Mitchell Marsh (25 off 19) got off to a smooth start, but a flurry of wickets in the middle overs pushed the hosts to the brink. Axar trapped Short in the powerplay, while Dube removed Marsh and Tim David (14 off 9) in successive overs, making a telling impact on the match.

Arshdeep Singh and Varun Chakaravarthy also chipped in with important wickets, including the dismissal of Glenn Maxwell, leaving Australia struggling at six down. India’s bowlers maintained pressure and never allowed the hosts to recover.

India
India

Batting efforts and key partnerships

India’s batting had flashes of promise but lacked sustained momentum. Abhishek Sharma (28 off 21) and Shubman Gill (46 off 39) shared an opening stand of 56 before the wickets began to tumble. Promoted to number three, Shivam Dube (22 off 18) could not make a major impact, while skipper Suryakumar Yadav (20 off 10) hit a couple of sixes before departing.

Axar Patel (21 not out off 11) played a vital role in pushing India past 160 with crucial boundaries towards the end. India lost four wickets for 42 runs in the last five overs, but their bowlers ensured the total remained defendable.

Australian bowling highlights

Pacer Nathan Ellis was the pick of the Australian bowlers with figures of 3 for 21 in four overs, using his variations effectively. Adam Zampa, though expensive, took three key wickets including the dangerous Abhishek Sharma, who had started aggressively before being caught at long-on.

The combined efforts of Axar Patel, Shivam Dube, Washington Sundar, and Arshdeep Singh made the difference, leaving Australia all out well short of the target. India’s bowlers executed their plans perfectly to defend a modest total and secure a stunning victory.

(With PTI Inputs)