Josh Hazlewood’s three-wicket haul sets up Australia’s win over India in second T20

Josh Hazlewood’s three-wicket burst and Mitch Marsh’s quickfire 46 guided Australia to a four-wicket victory over India in the second T20I at Melbourne. Abhishek Sharma’s fighting 68 was the lone bright spot as India were bowled out for 125.

Melbourne: Josh Hazlewood took three wickets for 13 runs to put India on the back foot before Mitch Marsh plundered 46 runs to guide Australia to a four-wicket win on Friday in the second Twenty20 International.

Hazlewood set up the victory with his brilliant four-over opening spell, which helped restrict India to 125 all out in 18.4 overs after Marsh won the toss and sent the visitors in to bat. Australia cruised to 126 for six in 13.2 overs in reply, with Jasprit Bumrah reducing the margin by taking two wickets off consecutive deliveries in the penultimate over when the hosts were just two runs away from victory.

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The first match of the five-game series was washed out in Canberra on Wednesday. The second encounter drew a crowd of more than 82,400 at the Melbourne Cricket Ground. The series now moves to Hobart on Sunday before a double-header in Queensland next week.

“Everything feels in a good place and ready to go,” said Hazlewood, who will leave Australia’s white-ball squad to prepare for the Ashes Tests against England starting next month in Perth.

India opener Abhishek Sharma scored more than half of his team’s runs, smashing 68 off 37 deliveries with eight boundaries and two sixes before falling as the next-to-last wicket in the 19th over. He shared a 20-run opening stand with Shubman Gill and added 55 runs for the sixth wicket with Harshit Rana (35) to keep India’s innings alive as Australia’s bowlers exploited the conditions well.

The 34-year-old Hazlewood produced a masterclass of seam bowling, maintaining a Test-match line and length that troubled India’s top order. “The way he bowled in the powerplay was very difficult to recover from,” India captain Suryakumar Yadav said.

Hazlewood’s fiery spell
The veteran pacer trapped Shubman Gill in front off the first ball of the match, but the lbw decision was overturned on review. India scored 17 runs off Xavier Bartlett’s second over before Hazlewood struck in the third, having Gill (5) caught at mid-off. Nathan Ellis trapped Sanju Samson lbw in the fourth over, and Hazlewood then dismissed Yadav (1) and Tilak Varma, both caught behind, to leave India reeling at 32 for four.

Axar Patel was run out for 7 while attempting a third run and failed to beat Tim David’s throw from the outfield, reducing India to 49 for five. Abhishek reached his half-century off 23 balls but soon saw Bartlett claim two wickets in three deliveries in the 16th over.

Bartlett had Harshit Rana caught on the boundary by David, ending a 56-run sixth-wicket partnership, and then removed Shivam Dube (4), who edged a short ball for wicketkeeper Josh Inglis to complete a fine catch. Nathan Ellis trapped Abhishek lbw in the 19th over and later ran out Bumrah at the striker’s end after a mix-up with Varun Chakravarthy to wrap up India’s innings.

Australia’s chase
Travis Head scored 28 before being caught on the boundary rope by Varma in the fifth over, ending a 51-run opening stand. Marsh hit two fours and two sixes off Kuldeep Yadav in the eighth over before being caught in the deep for 46 off 26 balls.

After watching wickets fall regularly, Marcus Stoinis held his nerve to hit the winning runs with more than six overs to spare.

Both teams wore black armbands in memory of 17-year-old cricketer Ben Austin, who died in a Melbourne hospital two days after being struck in the neck during a net session at his suburban club earlier this week. Players, match officials, and representatives from Austin’s clubs, along with state and national cricket administrators, observed a moment of silence before play, while his image was displayed on stadium screens as his favourite song played in tribute.