Australia is chasing a daunting 206-run target to keep its T20 World Cup campaign alive after India posted 5-205 at Gros Islet’s Daren Sammy National Stadium on Tuesday morning AEST.
Indian captain Rohit Sharma made Australia’s bowlers look amateurish after rival skipper Mitchell Marsh won the toss and chose to bowl first in windy conditions, smacking eight sixes during a ruthless assault.
The right-hander clobbered 29 runs off an over from Mitchell Starc, the most expensive over of his international career, before slog-sweeping Pat Cummins’ first delivery of the match over the boundary rope.
MATCH CENTRE: Australia vs India live scorecard
“It felt like a dream,” Indian teammate Suryakumar Yadav said of Sharma’s knock during the innings break.
“We talked about what brand we want to play, and he showed us the way.”
Sharma reached fifty in 19 deliveries, the fastest half-century of the tournament, before Starc produced a trademark yorker to topple the Indian opener eight runs short of his century. The left-armed quick also accounted for the dangerous Suryakumar Yadav in his following over, caught behind by gloveman Matthew Wade for 31.
Kohli bags his 2nd duck at World Cup | 01:01
Earlier, Indian superstar Virat Kohli was dismissed by seamer Josh Hazlewood for a fifth-ball duck after top-edging a pull shot towards mid-on, where Tim David settled underneath the high chance.
After combining with Sharma for an 87-run partnership for the second wicket, wicketkeeper Rishabh Pant fell victim to all-rounder Marcus Stoinis in the eighth over, chipping a full delivery towards Hazlewood at long-on for 15.
Indian vice-captain Hardik Pandya was gifted an early life on 4 when Marsh dropped an absolute sitter at short third man, denying leg-spinner Adam Zampa a wicket – it was Australia’s 15th dropped chance of the tournament.
The blunder proved costly, with Pandya cracking an unbeaten 27 at the death to steer India towards the equal-highest team total against Australia in T20 World Cup history.
Hazlewood was undeniably the pick of the Australian bowlers, finishing with economical figures of 1-14 from four overs and conceding just one boundary.
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