Australia opted to field first after winning the toss. India struggled from the outset, losing four early wickets in the Powerplay. Only Abhishek Sharma (68 off 37 balls) and Harshit Rana (35) made notable contributions, as the rest of the batting order failed to reach double figures. Hazlewood was ably supported by Xavier Bartlett and Nathan Ellis, who took two wickets each, while Marcus Stoinis chipped in with one.
Chasing 126, Australia started aggressively, with their openers putting up 51 runs for the first wicket inside the Powerplay. Captain Mitchell Marsh led the way with a quick-fire 46. Despite a minor stumble towards the end of the chase, as Jasprit Bumrah struck twice in two balls and Kuldeep Yadav also picked up two wickets, Australia crossed the finish line with nearly 40 balls to spare. India get late wickets but Australia cruise to victory.
Post-match, Marsh praised his bowlers for exploiting early moisture and keeping things simple. Hazlewood credited his success to disciplined bowling and welcomed the competition from new pace bowlers in the squad. Indian captain Suryakumar Yadav acknowledged the challenge, stating that the team needs a stronger batting display to compete.
This win marks Australia’s first T20I victory over India at the MCG since 2008, and puts pressure on the world’s No. 1-ranked T20I side to respond in the next match. The series now moves to Hobart for the third T20I, where India will aim to level the series.
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