World Twenty20: India vs Australia - As it happened...

Zee Media Bureau/Chaitan Papnai SCORECARD» | COMMENTARY» | MATCH REPORT» ============================================================== If Yuvraj Singh helped India to set up a challenging total of 160 runs with the help of his whirlwind knock of 60 in mere 43 balls, then R Ashwin came out with the staggering figures of 3.2-0-11-4 and helped India to defend the total quite successfully. For his outstanding bowling, Ashwin was rewarded with Man of the Match award, which he truly deserved. =================================================== Over 16.2 || Score 86 With the wicket of Muirhead, India comprehensively beat Australia by 73 runs. R Ashwin was certainly the pick among the bowlers as he scalped four wickets and gave mere 11 runs. JM Muirhead c Dhoni b Ashwin 3 (6m 7b) =================================================== Over 16 || Score 86/9 The last thing Australia needed was a run-out. First, Mitchell Starc fell short of his ground and then Hodge got out in the next over off Mishra. Australia is now on the verge of losing their third match in a row. BJ Hodge c Jadeja b Mishra 13 (18b) MA Starc run out 2 (4b) =================================================== Over 14 || Score 77/7 Amit Mishra, who has been the most impressive bowler so far for India in this tournament got the wicket in his first over. Haddin, too like other Aussies, tried to launch the bowler but failed to clear the fence and Rahane took a simple catch at deep square leg. BJ Haddin c Rahane b Mishra 6 (8b) =================================================== Over 11 || Score 64/6 Jadeja picked up his first wicket in the form of George Bailey. Bailey tried to hit the bowler for a six but couldn't mange to clear the ropes and gave a simple catch to Jadeja. He got out after scoring eight runs. GJ Bailey c Kohli b Jadeja 8 (10b) =================================================== Over 10 || Score 56/5 What a match it has been turning out for Ashwin. The off-spinner has picked up his third wicket of the match. This time it's dangerous Maxwell, whose cameo of 23 runs came to an end. In the meantime, Australia crossed the mark of 50 runs. Two came from the over. GJ Maxwell b Ashwin 23 (12b) =================================================== Over 8 || Score 46/4 Ashwin picked up his second wicket in form of opener David Warner, as the southpaw got out after scoring 19 runs. Ashwin has once again bowling well for India. Australia is in deep trouble now. DA Warner c RG Sharma b Ashwin 19 (21b) =================================================== Over 7 || Score 43/3 Raina has been introduced into the attack but Maxwell took him by surprise as he hit two huge sixes off the off-spinner to collect 16 from it. Maxwell is a dangerous customer. =================================================== Over 6 || Score 27/3 Another wicket for India. Shane Watson out. This time it's Mohit Sharma who provided the breakthrough. Watson missed the line completely and his bails went for a toss. Australia is at the back-foot after losing three wickets within three overs. SR Watson b MM Sharma 1 (4b) =================================================== Over 5 || Score 21/2 Kumar gave India their second breakthrough in his third over. White tried to hit the bowler out of the park but failed to connect it well and Jadeja took a good running catch at mid-off. Another tight over by Bhuvi as he conceded just two runs from it. CL White c Jadeja b Kumar 0 (2b ) =================================================== Over 4 || Score 19/1 R Ashwin has been introduced into the attack in the fourth over and it worked for India. In the second ball Ashwin gave India their first breakthrough in the form of Finch. Six runs came from the over. AJ Finch c Kohli b Ashwin 6 (11b) =================================================== Over 3 || Score 13/0 Bhuvi is bowling at a tight line. He is not giving any room to both the openers to free their arms. One run came from the second over of Bhuvi. =================================================== Over 2 || Score 12/0 Mohit Sharma is sharing the new ball with Bhuvi. And in his first over he gave mere six runs. So a good first over by Sharma who has replaced Shami in this match. =================================================== Over 1 || Score 6/0 Finch smashed Bhuvi for a boundary in the very first ball of the innings. But then the bowler came back strongly and gave mere two more runs. =================================================== Bhuvneshwar Kumar is opening the bowling attack for India, whereas, Aaron Finch and David Warner are in the middle to open the innings for Australia. =================================================== With the help of Yuvraj's whirlwind knock India managed to put up a fighting total of 161 runs against Australia. It would be a decent total to defend for India, whose spinners are in sublime form. =================================================== India Innings Over 20 || Score 159/7 India couldn't managed to score freely in the last over as well, as they lost two more wickets in it. First Yuvraj got out and then Jadeja followed him. India scored mere seven from the over. RA Jadeja run out 3 (3b) Yuvraj Singh c Maxwell b Watson 60 (43b) =================================================== Over 19 || Score 152/5 In the death overs Starc bowled a tight over as he gave mere five runs in it. Starc even took the wicket of MS Dhoni, who got out after scoring 24 runs. But India crossed the mark of 150 runs. MS Dhoni b Starc 24 (20b ) =================================================== Over 18 || Score 147/4 Yuvraj Singh is on a roll here. He collected two boundaries and a six from the over bowled by Watson. Sixteen runs came from it. Meanwhile, Yuvi completed his half-century in mere 37 balls, with the help of four sixes and equal number of boundaries. =================================================== Over 17 || Score 131/4 Dhoni and Yuvi are now hitting boundaries at will. They are smashing the Aussie bowlers all over the park. Starc conceded 19 runs from the over. Yuvraj smashed a six and a boundary in the over, whereas Dhoni also launched the bowler for a six. =================================================== Over 16 || Score 112/4 Now even Bollinger is leaking runs as two most dangerous batsmen of this format of the game are in the middle. Ten runs came from his final over. =================================================== Over 15 || Score 102/4 Another good over for India as eight runs came from it. Meanwhile, India crossed the mark of 100 runs as well. Dhoni and Yuvi are now started scoring briskly. From here on India will be eyeing for a total around 150. =================================================== Over 14 || Score 94/4 Good over for India. Muirhead leaked 17 runs from it. Yuraj launched the bowler for two consecutive sixes. It's the costliest over for Australia so far. India need few more overs like this to set up a fighting total in front of Australia. =================================================== Over 13 || Score 77/4 From the 13th over bowled by Hodge, India collected eight runs as Yuvi smashed a boundary of second ball of it. Slowly but steadily Yuvraj is getting the momentum. =================================================== Over 12 || Score 69/4 India in deep trouble as in-form Suresh Raina also got out cheaply. Raina stepped out to clear the long-on boundary but couldn't mange to time it well and Finch took a simple catch near the boundary rope. India are at the back-foot. SK Raina c Finch b Maxwell 6 (10b) =================================================== Over 9 || Score 54/3 Bollinger gave Australia another breakthrough in the form of AM Rahane. Rahane tried to steer the ball towards third man by got the fine edge of his bat and Haddin took a simple catch behind the wickets. Two runs came from the over. AM Rahane c Haddin b Bollinger 19 (16b) =================================================== Over 8 || Score 52/2 Maxwell has been reintroduced into the attack. And he bowled a superb over as he gave mere one run. Yuvraj Singh is the new man in after the fall of Kohli's wicket. =================================================== Over 7 || Score 51/2 Kohli Out. Kohli stepped out to hit a six off Muirhead, who was bowling his first over but found a man at the long-off boundary. And with that Kohli's cameo of 23 runs came to an end. Seven runs came from the over. Meanwhile, India crossed the mark of 50 runs. V Kohli c White b Muirhead 23 (22b) =================================================== Over 6 || Score 44/1 Another bowling change as Bollinger has been introduced in the sixth over. India collected seven from his first over as Rahane scored his second boundary. =================================================== Over 5 || Score 37/1 In the fifth over it was Rahane who collected a boundary off Starc towards cover region. His first boundary of the innings. Rahane has a good chance to play a solid knock up front to prove his worth. =================================================== Over 4 || Score 30/1 Shane Watson has been called to bowl the fourth over. Four different bowlers in first four overs. Interesting! But Kohli is unstoppable as he flicked the fourth ball of the over towards mid-wicket for a boundary. Seven came from the over. =================================================== Over 3 || Score 23/1 Surprisingly, Hodge who took the wicket in the opening over has been replaced by speedster Mitchell Starc. Kohli smashed a boundary off his third ball to collect seven runs from the over. =================================================== Over 2 || Score 16/1 Glenn Maxwell bowled the second over and leaked nine runs as Kohli launched him for a six in the last ball of the over. So, spinners from both the end to start the bowling proceedings. =================================================== Over 1 || Score 7/1 First ball was a loosner from Hodge and Rohit dispatched it for a boundary towards square leg. But after two balls, Rohit got out. Rohit tried to hit the ball over short cover fielder but mistimed it completely and gave a simple catch to Muirhead. So a good start for Australia. RG Sharma c Muirhead b Hodge 5 (3b) =================================================== Rohit Sharma and Ajinkya Rahane are in the middle to open the innings for India, whereas, Brad Hodge has been given the new ball to open the bowling proceedings. ============================================================== It's now a dead rubber as Bangladesh have lost the first match of the day to Pakistan and with that faintest of hopes for Australia to reach the next level of the coveted title are being dashed. ============================================================== One change for Australia, Cameron White has replaced James Faulkner. However, the news that is coming from the Indian camp is that they have done two changes in their playing X1. Opener Shikhar Dhawan is being replaced by Ajinkya Rahane, whereas, Mohammad Shami is being rested and Mohit Sharma is in. ============================================================== Australia have won the toss and elected to bowl first. ============================================================== Dhaka: India have to face Australia in today’s second encounter of World Twenty20. After winning their first three games comprehensively, India have already booked a slot in the semi-finals. And even if India lost this match against the Kangaroos, it won’t hurt them much. On the other hand, it won't help Australia either as they are now virtually out of the tournament. Australia have already lost two games in the tournament and are on the verge of being axed form the race to win their maiden title. If we talk about the strength of both the teams, then, India have their bowlers who are doing the bid for the team, especially, their tweakers, whereas, Australia have a strong batting-line up which has a bunch of big hitters. So it’s India’s bowling versus Australia’s batting. India have three front-line spinners – R Ashwin, Amit Mishra, Ravinder Jadeja -- and all three have performed exceptionally well so far. Dhoni has used Ashwin as new ball bowler in the on-going World T20 and it has worked well for India. But the spinner, who has impressed the most, is undoubtedly Mishra. The diminutive spinner has certainly come of age. His variations and ability to read the mind of a batsman has helped him to fox him, with an ease. So it would be a herculean task for the swashbuckling batsmen of Australia to attack these spinners. In Glenn Maxwell, Aaron Finch, Shane Watson, George Bailey and David Warner, Aussies have match-winners who can turn the tables around with their performance. So, one thing is sure that the on-field battle between bat and ball is going to be an interesting one. India would be high on confidence, as they have reached the semi-final stage of the tournament for the very first time since 2007, when they went on to win the title. Indian batting line-up hasn’t really tested yet. In all the three matches, MS Dhoni won the toss and elected to bowl first. But Indian bowlers restricted the teams under modest totals. So the real test of Indian batsmen is still awaited. Though Indian batsmen haven’t chased a big total so far, Rohit Sharma, Virat Kohli and Suresh Raina are in good form. In today’s game Indian batting-line must be tested against a decent bowling line up of Australia. Squads: India: Mahendra Singh Dhoni (captain), Shikhar Dhawan, Rohit Sharma, Virat Kohli, Yuvraj Singh, Suresh Raina, Ravindra Jadeja, Ravichandran Ashwin, Bhuvneshwar Kumar, Amit Mishra, Mohammed Shami, Mohit Sharma, Ajinkya Rahane, Varun Aaron, Stuart Binny. Australia: George Bailey (captain), Aaron Finch, David Warner, Shane Watson, George Bailey, Glenn Maxwell, Brad Hodge, Nathan Coultier-Nile, Mitchell Starc, Doug Bollinger, James Faulkner, Brad Hogg, James Muirhead, Cameron White, Dan Christian.