IND vs AUS 1st T20I: Australia 211 for 6 (Green 61, Wade 45*, Axar 3-17) beat India 208 for 6 (Hardik 71*, Rahul 55, Ellis 3-30) by four wickets

Cameron Green blitzed a 26-ball half-century in his first innings as an opener in professional cricket and Matthew Wade gave the finishing boost as Australia chased down 209 on a flat pitch, in Mohali to go 1-0 up in the three-match series.

Green released some Mitchell Marsh-style slog-sweeps during his 30-ball 61 to lay the stage for Australia’s tall chase. Axar Patel then, at that point, applied the brakes on Australia with figures of 3 for 17 in his four overs – he was the only bowler to go at under seven an over on the day – however Wade advanced in the end overs to ice the chase, with four balls and four wickets to spare.

It was Australia’s second-highest successful chase in T20I cricket. They made Jasprit Bumrah-less India pay for their lax fielding – they dropped no less than three possibilities – and death bowling, as Bhuvneshwar Kumar and Harshal Patel finished with combined figures of 8-0-101-0

HIGHLIGHTS

India stay consistent with their attacking approach

Although both Rohit Sharma and Virat Kohli fell early, India continued attacking through  KL Rahul, Suryakumar Yadav and Hardik Pandya. Rahul assumed the speed of Josh Hazlewood and Green while Suryakumar took out 22 runs off nine balls from leg spinner Adam Zampa.

Rahul proceeded to score a half-century off 32 balls in the eleventh over, yet in the next over, Hazlewood got back to dismiss him. Suryakumar unfurled some stunning pick-up shots and punches before Green found extra bounce and cut his innings off at 46 off 25 balls.

Pandya-monium

The tranquil track, a lightning-fast outfield and staggering ball-striking shaped the elements of a Hardik special. He hit an unbeaten 71 off 30 balls to lead India past 200.

He set to work with a clubbed six over midwicket off Green in the fourteenth over and continued to squeeze yorkers – or close to yorkers – away for fours. That he frequently fluttered around the crease also threw bowlers off their lengths. He achieved his own fifty off 25 balls toward the end of the nineteenth over and with just No.8 Harshal for company, he cultivated the strike in the last over and finished off the innings with 6,6,6.

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The Endgame

Green’s excusal triggered a wobble as Australia lost three wickets for 14 runs in 12 balls. When Josh Inglis was bowled by Axar, Australia actually required 64 off 35 balls. Wade alone hit 45 off 29 balls, to uncover India’s death bowling, providing a throwback to his heroics against Pakistan in the T20 World Cup semi-finals last year in the UAE. 

At one phase, it appeared as though Wade would polish the game off with Tim David after having given David his first Australia cap. However, David fell attempting to clear the boundary. Pat Cummins got the work done with a four off the next ball.

Matthew Wade smashed Shaheen Shah Afridi for a hat-trick of sixes to power Australia to the final of the 2021 T20 World Cup with a 5-wicket win over Pakistan on Thursday at Dubai International Cricket Stadium. Australia needed 22 runs from the last two overs and Pakistan skipper Babar Azam went with his best bowler of the tournament Shaheen Afridi to bowl the penultimate over. Wade hit the left-arm seamer for back-to-back sixes on the last three balls of the over to seal the game for Australia.

Wade shared a crucial 81*-run stand for the sixth wicket Marcus Stoinis to shift the momentum in Australia’s favour. Stoinis, who played the aggressor in the partnership, witnessed some brutal power-hitting from Wade from the other end in the penultimate over. Wade remained unbeaten on 41 off just 17 balls as his innings was laced with four sixes and a couple of fours. While, Stonis scored 40* off 31 balls.

Chasing a formidable target of 177, Australia lost their skipper Aaron Finch early as Shaheen dismissed him on the second ball of the chase for a golden duck. Pakistan put pressure on the Aussie batters for the first three overs but David Warner took charge of the innings by smashing Imad Wasim for a six and a couple of boundaries. Chasing a formidable target of 177, Australia lost their skipper Aaron Finch early as Shaheen dismissed him on the second ball of the chase for a golden duck. Pakistan put pressure on the Aussie batters for the first three overs but David Warner took charge of the innings by smashing Imad Wasim for a six and a couple of boundaries.

“Absolutely (preempted the scoops). I was talking to Stoinis at the other end and tried to work out what they’re doing. I got a little more pace on than expected, I probably could have used it a little bit earlier, but yeah.. glad to get a couple at the end. There wasn’t a lot of chat before I went in as we lost quick wickets. But when I got out there, Me and Marcus had batted together in the first game and got some momentum today as well,” he said in the post match PC.

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Wade and Marcus Stoinis must be credited for Aussie revival after they had lost their two best players in Steve Smith and David Warner in face of some sharp spin bowling of Shadab Khan. “I was a bit unsure but Marcus showed me the way out. There was one short side and I was confident that if I had to target that then I could pull it off, but it got down to two-a-ball and you had to hit everything in your arc. I got a boundary away early on and then stalled for 5-6 balls, but Marcus got the boundary away and got us to a total where I was confident in the last two overs.”

Warner shared a crucial 51-run stand alongside Mitchell Marsh to revive the chase for Australia. However, Shadab Khan spun his web in the middle-overs to wrap Australia’s middle-order cheaply. The Aussies were 96/5 at one stage and the momentum was completely in Pakistan’s favour but Wade and Stoinis changed the script to guide Australia to their second final of the T20 World Cup. Earlier, Mohammad Rizwan and Fakhar Zaman hit attacking half-centuries to drive Pakistan to 176 for four against Australia in the second semi-final.

Rizwan, who top-scored with 67, and Zaman, who hit an unbeaten 55 off 32 deliveries, put on 72 runs for the second wicket to help Pakistan to a challenging total after being into bat first in Dubai. Rizwan’s opening stand of 71 with skipper Babar Azam, who made 39, unsettled the Australian bowling in the first six overs of powerplay. Australia will now face New Zealand in the summit clash of the T20 World Cup final where the new champion will be crowned on November 14 in Dubai.

The balance between the Big Bash League and the national side leads to an imbalance in the batting order. Players groomed as the next finisher for Australia have come in the top-order during the Big Bash, leaving them unexposed to the death overs when they come to the national side. Glenn Maxwell, for instance, bats lower down the order for Australia but bats higher up in the Big Bash. Marcus Stoinis is another example that opens for his T20 franchise but bats in the middle-order for Australia.

Australia has an excellent top three, with Warner, Finch, and Steve Smith fixing their spots. They have someone like Marnus Labuschagne, who bats in the top three as well, leaving the middle-order spots vacant. Since the 2016 World Cup, Australia played 25 batters in the middle-order. Marcus Stoinis and Glenn Maxwell have decent numbers, but there are still some spots vacant. Alex Carey had a proper rope but isn’t a sure starter after changing his batting position in the Big Bash.

Below are a few options for the middle-order spots:

Matthew Wade

With Alex Carey seemingly out of the picture, Wade will be donning the gloves for the time being. Wade, however, has spent most of his time opening the batting and will have to adapt to a middle-order spot with no place at the top. In case he doesn’t perform in the middle-order, Australia will have to look at other options. They have Josh Philippe, Alex Carey, and Josh Inglis as back-ups, but most have spent their time opening in the Big Bash.

Glenn Maxwell

Glenn Maxwell is a sure starter for the World Cup and will likely bat at number four. Anything lower than four may waste his talent. He is not on the side for the West Indies tour, and the tour may be an audition for those who are likely to join the middle-order with him.

Marcus Stoinis

Marcus Stoinis is another player who is not playing West Indies but is a competitor for the middle-order spot. He is already a regular on the side, but consistency and fitness have been issues. He is another player who is out of place, as he started as a top-order player in domestic Cricket. He is a handy bowler and has decent numbers but is far from Australia’s solution.

Alex Carey

Although Alex Carey is doubtful about the middle-order spot, he remains an option. He has struggled to adapt down the order, but with Australia struggling to find a finisher, Carey could help, considering Wade doesn’t meet the requirements.

Dan Christian

At the age of 38, Dan Christian has made a surprise re-entry into the national squad. He hasn’t played international Cricket in over four years, but a brilliant big-bash season got him back into the side. With the World Cup coming up, Christian has given himself an outside chance of making the squad. He has an advantage over the other middle-order candidates, as he is a proper middle-order batter. He knows how to finish games and is a handy bowler as well. Dan Christian also has the backing of Aaron Finch and is a likely starter for the squad.

Other Aspirants

Mitchell Marsh has done well in the last two seasons and is good with both the bat and ball. He has been in and around the squad for a while but hasn’t converted his stats from domestic Cricket to international Cricket. He is another player who sticks to the middle-order and has the experience of finishing games.

Josh Inglis is another wicket-keeper who isn’t in the squad but is making some noise. He is doing well in the T20 Blast and has done well in the Big Bash League. He has done well both up and down the order and is a decent player of spin, which could play in his favor.