MELBOURNE: India’s run of seven consecutive T20I series wins came to an untimely end on Friday after the 2nd T20I against Australia in Melbourne was abandoned due to rain.
This was after India’s bowling attack put up a much-improved performance against the home team and reduced them to 132 for 7 in 19 overs before rain played spoilsport. Ben McDermott (32) and Andrew Tye (12) were at the crease during the break.
Inclement weather interrupted the match three times as the match was first reduced to 19 overs per side with DLS target for India revised to 137 runs. More rain meant the target was revised to 90 runs in 11 overs. The target was ultimately reduced to 46 in 5 overs but not a ball could be delivered in the Indian innings as Rohit Sharma and Shikhar Dhawan returned to the pavilion after coming out twice.
Earlier, India won the toss and opted to bowl. The visitors went in with an unchanged side while Australia made one change, bringing in Nathan Coulter-Nile for Billy Stanlake. Bhuvneshwar Kumar (2/20) and Khaleel Ahmed (2/39) shared four wickets to rock the Australian top-order and reduce them to 41-4 at one stage.
However, India was once again sloppy in the field as Rishabh Pant spilled a difficult diving catch while Jasprit Bumrah also grassed another chance allowing the Australian middle-order to get back into the game.
Glenn Maxwell (19) and Ben McDermott (32 not out) added 21 runs for the fifth wicket. But it was Krunal Pandya (1/26) who bowled a beauty to remove Maxwell. Australia somehow managed to cross the 100-mark in the 16th over, courtesy of a 27-run partnership between Nathan Coulter-Nile (18) and McDermott. It was McDermott who held one end together and scored 31 off 20 balls with Andrew Tye (12), to provide the impetus to the innings before rain stopped any further action.
