Melbourne, Oct 31 (NationPress) Josh Hazlewood dismantled India’s top order with a sensational 3-13 while skipper Mitchell Marsh hit a brisk 46 as Australia secured a four-wicket victory over India in the second T20I at the Melbourne Cricket Ground on Friday, giving them a 1-0 lead in the five-match series.

Travis Head’s 28 provided early impetus, and alongside Marsh’s knock, ensured that the hosts reached the target of 126 with 40 balls remaining, despite a few wickets falling towards the end. India’s bowlers injected some late drama into the contest, but it proved to be too little, too late.

The win was orchestrated by Hazlewood’s decisive opening spell, as he extracted seam movement, bounce, and maintained a probing length to ensure India’s innings never truly recovered from early setbacks in the power-play. The remainder of the bowling unit provided solid support, bowling out India for 125 runs in 18.4 overs, despite Abhishek Sharma top-scoring with 68.

Australia’s chase was boosted early on by an unusually expensive over from Jasprit Bumrah, who conceded 18 runs in the third over. This released early pressure and shifted momentum to the hosts. Harshit Rana’s no-ball and being hit for two sixes compounded India’s woes, as 20 runs came off the fourth over.

Captain Suryakumar Yadav had to resort to spin-bowling options, and Varun Chakaravarthy provided India with their first breakthrough—dismissing a rampaging Head courtesy of a sensational boundary catch by Tilak Varma, who tossed the ball in the air, went out, and then returned to complete the catch.

Marsh continued to spearhead Australia’s charge by punishing anything in the good-length zone with powerful strokes through the leg side off Kuldeep and Chakaravarthy. However, India managed to remove Marsh for 46 off 26 balls in the eighth over when Kuldeep’s wide and full delivery caused him to hole out to long-off. Ironically, that over turned out to be Kuldeep’s most expensive in T20Is, leaking 20 runs.

Chakaravarthy struck again to dismiss Tim David, who pushed forward with hard hands and could only offer a return catch to the spinner. Kuldeep returned to trap Josh Inglis lbw with a quicker delivery, while Mitchell Owen nicked behind off Bumrah, who also castled Matthew Short for a duck. Despite a late wobble, Marcus Stoinis ensured that Australia crossed the line and took the lead in the series.

Previously, while all batters struggled in a disappointing batting performance, Abhishek combined power with placement, finding gaps with ease in his counterattacking knock, which included eight fours and two sixes.

He also stitched a 56-run partnership with Harshit Rana, who was promoted to number seven and made it count with 35 off 33 balls. However, his extended time on strike arguably disrupted India’s momentum, leaving Abhishek often waiting at the non-striker’s end.

India’s innings began with a burst of intent from Abhishek, who flicked and lofted Xavier Bartlett for a four and six respectively. Yet Australia managed to halt India’s momentum, with Shubman Gill miscuing a loft to mid-off against Hazlewood, while Sanju Samson’s stay was short-lived as Nathan Ellis got one to seam back in and trap him lbw.

With the wicket offering movement, India’s batters struggled to settle as Suryakumar Yadav edged behind off Hazlewood, while Tilak Varma miscued a flick to deep square leg, handing Hazlewood his second scalp of the over. India lost four wickets in the power-play.

A mix-up leading to Axar Patel’s run-out compounded India’s woes, and with their innings in disarray, Rana and Abhishek managed a couple of boundaries each to help regain some rhythm. Abhishek continued to bat with flair and reached his half-century off just 23 balls.

But Rana’s dismissal—caught by Tim David off Bartlett—ended a vital partnership that kept India afloat. Following that, India’s innings nosedived as Shivam Dube nicked behind off Bartlett, while Kuldeep Yadav holed out to mid-on off Marcus Stoinis.

Abhishek’s innings ended when he was trapped lbw by Ellis, while Jasprit Bumrah’s run-out ensured India’s innings wrapped up quickly, with batters other than Abhishek and Rana managing only 22 runs.

Brief scores:

India 125 all out in 18.4 overs (Abhishek Sharma 68, Harshit Rana 35; Josh Hazlewood 3-13, Nathan Ellis 2-21) lost to Australia 126/6 in 13.2 overs (Mitchell Marsh 46, Travis Head 28, Varun Chakaravarthy 2-23, Kuldeep Yadav 2-45) by four wickets