India thrash Australia in 2nd T20I, lead five-match series 2-0
India gained a 2-0 lead in the five-match T20I series after beating Australia at the Greenfield International Stadium, Thiruvananthapuram. The Men in Blue defended 235/4, their highest total against Australia in the format. Marcus Stoinis (45) and Tim David (37) kept Australia alive, but they managed 191/9. Ravi Bishnoi and Prasidh Krishna took three-fers. India's Yashasvi Jaiswal, Ruturaj Gaikwad, and Ishan Kishan slammed half-centuries.
A look at the match summary
Jaiswal stepped up after Australia elected to field. India recorded their joint third-highest Powerplay T20I score (77/1). Jaiswal slammed a record-breaking fifty, while Ishan and Gaikwad took India forward. Suryakumar Yadav and Rinku Singh fueled India eventually. Australia too had a flying start before stumbling. Stoinis and David propelled Australia from 58/4 to 139. However, Bishnoi, Axar Patel, and Prasidh eventually starred for India.
The pick of India's bowlers
Leg-spinner Bishnoi was the pick of India's bowlers in the match. He took three wickets for 32 runs in four overs. The Indian wrist-spinner first dismissed Matthew Short and Josh Inglis in back-to-back overs. He came to remove the dangerous Tim David in his final spell. It was a terrific comeback from Bishnoi, who leaked 54 runs in the series opener.
Jaiswal plays a blistering knock
Jaiswal came out guns blazing and struck the Aussie bowlers at will. He smacked Abbott for 3 fours and 2 sixes in the fourth over. Three consecutive boundaries in the sixth over bowled by Ellis brought up Jaiswal's fifty. The Indian opener slammed 53 off 25 balls, a knock laced with 9 fours and 2 sixes. It was his third T20I fifty-plus score.
Jaiswal scripts history, joins these veterans
Jaiswal now has the highest individual score by an Indian batter in the Powerplay of a T20I. Rohit Sharma (50 vs New Zealand, 2020) and KL Rahul (50 vs Scotland, ICC T20 World Cup 2021) are the only other Indian batters with this feat in the format. Jaiswal became the third Indian with a T20I fifty in the Powerplay.
Jaiswal goes big against Abbott
Jaiswal smashed 24 runs off an over bowled by Abbott. He now has the joint fourth-most runs by an Indian batter in an over in T20I cricket. Jaiswal shares this record with Rohit, who smashed as many runs in five balls against Sri Lanka in 2017. Former Indian batter Yuvraj Singh tops this list (36 runs vs England, T20 World Cup 2007).
Another T20I fifty for Ishan
Ishan smashed 52 off 32 balls, a knock studded with 3 fours and 4 sixes. It was his sixth half-century in T20I cricket. Ishan has become only the second Indian with three or more 50-plus scores as a designated wicket-keeper in T20Is. He joined Rahul on this list. Mahendra Singh Dhoni and Rishabh Pant own two such half-centuries.
Gaikwad stays composed till the end
Gaikwad, who recorded an unfortunate diamond duck in the series opener, bounced back in Thiruvananthapuram. The right-handed batter slammed his third half-century in the shortest international format. Gaikwad, who opened with Jaiswal, held his fort right till the end. He returned with 58 off 43 balls (3 fours and 2 sixes). It was his maiden T20I fifty against Australia.
Cameos from SKY, Rinku, and Tilak Varma
Scintillating cameos from Suryakumar and Rinku helped India post a 200-plus total. The Indian skipper smashed a 10-ball 19 with the help of two maximums. Meanwhile, Rinku returned unbeaten on 31(9). He smacked 4 fours and 2 sixes. The left-hander collected 25 runs from the penultimate over. India plundered 20 runs from the final over, with Tilak Varma also hammering a six.
Fifty-plus scores from India's top three
Gaikwad and Ishan shared an 87-run stand after Jaiswal departed. According to Cricbuzz, this was the first instance of India's top three recording fifty-plus scores in a T20I innings. Overall, this was the fifth such instance in men's T20Is.
Stoinis completes 5,000 T20 runs
Stoinis was Australia's top scorer in the match. He smashed a 25-ball 45 (2 fours and 4 sixes). During the match, he completed 5,000 runs in T20 cricket. He accomplished the milestone with his 33rd run. Stoinis, who made his T20 debut a decade ago, took 239 games to get to 5,000 runs. The tally includes 26 fifties and a solitary ton.
The fifth-highest total for India in T20Is
As per ESPNcricinfo, India's 235/4 is their fifth-highest score in T20Is. India's best total remains 260/5 versus Sri Lanka in December 2017. India also bettered their previous best score of 209/8 achieved in the first encounter of the ongoing series in Visakhapatnam. India managed to record their fifth score of 200-plus in T20Is versus the Aussies.
The second-highest team total versus Australia in T20Is
As per Cricbuzz, India have posted the second-highest innings score versus Australia in T20Is. New Zealand's 243/6 in Auckland, 2018 remains the highest score against Australia in the 20-over format.
