Australia v India – http://www.senore.com/Cricket/India-c750 by 9 wickets [Part 2]
Continued from Part 1 …
http://www.senore.com/Cricket/George-Bailey-c1480 at extra cover off Cummins.
India pressed desperately onwards, with Raina joining forces with http://www.senore.com/Cricket/R-Ashwin-c2228 (16*) for a 33-run partnership, but the departure of Raina in the last over, undone by Watson, saw the Men in Blue posting 140.
The moderately competitive total put a fair amount of pressure on the bowlers, but the rain severely hampered the bowling attack, in particular the spinners – Ashwin, http://www.senore.com/Cricket/Harbhajan-Singh-c61453. In response, Australia completed the chase in just 14.5 overs – the least amount of overs any team has ever used to successfully chase a T20I target of 140+.
The Aussies’ innings hinged on a mammoth 133-run opening stand between Watson (72 off 42) and Warner (63* off 41) – Australia’s highest T20I partnership for any wicket, which also made http://www.senore.com/Cricket/Watson-c96326 and Warner the first duo from any side to score more than 1000 partnership runs in this format.
Watson smashed 7 sixes and 2 fours, while Warner was the more subdued but equally effective partner, hitting a total of 3 sixes and 7 fours. The Indian bowlers were little more than helpless spectators, unable to make any dents in the colossal partnership.
http://www.senore.com/Cricket/Z-Khan-c98379 remained the most economical bowler, conceding just 18 in three overs, although he did not take a wicket. Harbhajan, the hero from the previous match against the Poms, during which he claimed a record 4/12, conceded 20 in 2, while Sharma threw away 12 in 1. Chawla and Pathan remained the most expensive – both bowled just one over each, but the former bled 14, while the latter leaked 19.
http://www.senore.com/Cricket/Manoj-Tiwary-c1890 in the 14th over. However, by this point Australia’s game was all but won, and Warner teamed up with Glenn Maxwell (4*) to get the team safely over the finish line, with 9 wickets and 31 balls remaining as India conceded their second-worst T20I defeat ever, in terms of balls to spare.
The victory sees the Australians emerging as nigh invincible in the tournament, led by the prowess of Watson, while India will need to work hard to make a comeback and stay in the running, after the drubbing they’ve received in their first Super Eights match.
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