 "Axar Patel (left) played a key role in India's 48-run victory over Australia in the fourth T20I with an all-round performance. AP")
Team India collected back-to-back wins for the first time in their ongoing white-ball tour of Australia, defeating the Mitchell Marsh-led hosts by 48 runs to go 2-1 up in the five-match T20I series on Wednesday. After suffering a 1-2 loss in the ODI leg of the tour, the T20I series began on a damp note with a washout in the series opener in Perth, which was followed by a four-wicket loss in Melbourne.
India, however, had bounced back with a five-wicket victory in the third T20I in Hobart on Sunday. And four days after successfully chasing down a target of 187, the Men in Blue found themselves leading a series for the first time in their ongoing tour after thrashing the Mitchell Marsh-led hosts by 48 runs at the Carrara Oval in Gold Coast, Queensland.
Axar, Sundar lead the way in Gold Coast
All-rounder Axar Patel was the star of the show for his all-round performance, smashing an unbeaten 21 off just 11 deliveries that helped India post a competitive 167/8 on the board, which was followed by a haul of 2/20 from four overs, getting rid of top-order batters Matthew Short and Josh Inglis.
Fellow spin-bowling all-rounder Washington Sundar was also among the wickets, striking thrice in nine deliveries while giving away just three runs. Sundar got rid of Marcus Stoinis and Xavier Bartlett in successive deliveries in the 17th over of Australia’s chase, missing out on a hat-trick in the same over, before sealing India’s triumph with his dismissal of Zampa in the penultimate over.
Here’s how former cricketers and other experts, as well as supporters of the Indian cricket team reacted to the victory:
Impact Shorts
More ShortsThe Men in Blue have been on a roll in the shortest format since the start of 2024, winning the T20 World Cup along with the way with Suryakumar Yadav leading the side by example after succeeding Rohit Sharma as captain in the format.
And with their clinical performance in Gold Coast on Thursday, India have ensured they will have one hand on the trophy at the very least, even if they end up losing the series finale in Brisbane on Saturday.