T20I: Shreyas' fifty and clinical bowling help India win by six runs, finish series 4-1

By siliconindia  |  Monday, 04 December 2023, 09:22:47 AM IST

T20I: Shreyas' fifty and clinical bowling help India win by six runs, finish series 4-1
India secured a remarkable six-run victory in the fifth and final T20I against Australia at the M Chinnaswamy Stadium, clinching the series 4-1. Pacer Arshdeep Singh staged an impressive comeback by defending nine runs in the last over, complementing Shreyas Iyer's superb half-century and late fireworks from Axar Patel.
In a stunning turnaround, Arshdeep, who had conceded 37 runs in three overs, bounced back brilliantly in the crucial final over. He restricted Australia to just three runs and claimed the wicket of captain Matthew Wade, contributing significantly to India's dramatic win. Arshdeep had stepped in for Deepak Chahar, who had to leave Bengaluru due to a medical emergency.
Despite Australia being on track while chasing a modest target of 181 at 128/5 in the 17th over, India's bowlers fought back brilliantly. They conceded only 38 runs for three wickets in the last five overs, limiting Australia to 154/8 in 20 overs. Notably, at the M. Chinnaswamy Stadium, 160 is the lowest total successfully defended by a team in T20I cricket.
India's bowling performance was highlighted by early breakthroughs, reducing Australia to 55/3 in the seventh over. Key contributions came from Mukesh Kumar (3-32), Ravi Bishnoi (2-29), and Arshdeep Singh (2-40), while Axar Patel continued his excellent form with figures of 1-14 in four overs. In the batting department, Shreyas Iyer's brisk 53 off 37 balls, along with Jitesh Sharma's quick 24 and Axar Patel's aggressive 31 off 21 balls, guided India to a modest total of 160/8. Despite a shaky start, losing early wickets, partnerships between Shreyas and Jitesh, as well as Shreyas and Axar, stabilized the innings.
Having already secured the series with a 3-1 lead in the fourth match in Raipur, India made a decent start, reaching 33 before losing key wickets. Captain Suryakumar Yadav managed only five runs, and Rinku Singh, a hero in the fourth match, fell for six. However, valuable partnerships helped India reach 143/6 in the 19th over, ultimately setting the stage for their series-winning victory.
Source: IANS

ON THE DECK

siliconindia