In a bid to retaliate for their loss to Australia in the 50-overs World Cup final, the Indian men’s cricket team secured a noteworthy victory in the T20 series in Raipur, winning by a margin of 20 runs and clinching the series with a match to spare.
This triumph also marked a significant milestone as India now holds the record for the highest number of T20 International victories, boasting an impressive 136 wins, surpassing the previous record held by Pakistan at 135.
During the penultimate match of the series, India, after being put into bat, posted a total score of 174-9. Notable contributions came from Rinku Singh (46) and Jitesh Sharma (35). However, despite a solid start and a poised position at 129-4 after 15 overs, the Indian team faced a slight setback in the final five overs, managing only 45 runs and losing five wickets. Ben Dwarshuis (3-40) and Jason Behrendorff (2-32) played pivotal roles in Australia’s bowling effort.
Defending their total, India’s Axar Patel proved instrumental in dismantling Australia’s top order, finishing with figures of 3-16. The visitors could only manage 154-7 in their innings, giving India an unassailable 3-1 lead in the five-match series.
Despite a challenging target, Australia faltered in their chase, with Axar Patel’s bowling performance accounting for key wickets, including opener Travis Head and number four batter Aaron Hardie. Australia’s Matthew Wade’s unbeaten 36 off 23 balls was not enough to secure a win.
It’s noteworthy that both teams had fielded second-string squads for the T20 series, a factor attributed to the ODI World Cup finalists. The series concludes in Bengaluru on Sunday, marking the culmination of an intense and competitive cricketing showdown.
