Ignored Axar shines as India beats Australia by 20 runs to take 3-1 lead

RAIPUR: Ignored for the upcoming assignment in South Africa, left-arm spinner Axar Patel responded with excellent figures of 3/16 as India got the better of Australia by 20 runs in the fourth T20I to win the five-match series here on Friday.

This was India’s fifth consecutive T20I series win on trot.

Rinku Singh blazed away to a 29-ball 46 while Jitesh Sharma smashed 35 in 19 balls before Australia pulled things back to stop India at 174 for nine after the visitor opted to bowl first.

Cruising at 167 for four in 18.3 overs, India lost five wickets for only seven runs in the last two overs, thanks to Ben Dwarshuis (3/40) and Jason Behrendorff (2/32).

In reply, Australia was restricted to 154 for seven in 20 overs as India took an unassailable 3-1 lead with a match to go. Matthew Wade remained not out on 36 off 23 balls.

Axar Patel (3/16) and Ravi Bishnoi (1/17) were magnificent, bowling eight overs for only 33 runs with four scalps to their credit.

Set a target of 175, Australia was off to a flyer with Travis Head (31 off 16 balls) collecting a flurry of boundaries to lift his team to 42 for one in four overs, including picking 22 runs off seamer Deepak Chahar.

Seasoned spinner Axar however had the hero of Australia’s World Cup final caught after the batter got a leading edge while attempting a slog-sweep.

It was a huge breakthrough for India, coming 10 balls after leg-spinner Ravi Bishnoi knocked over Josh Philippe’s off-stump with one that straightened.

Playing across the line, Aaron Hardie’s middle stump was disturbed by Axar as he put India in a position of strength by leaving Australia at 55 for three at the end of seventh over.

Ben McDermott (19) and Tim David (19) steadied the Australian innings with a 35-run partnership before Axar picked up his third wicket to leave the visitor in a very difficult situation at 87 for four in the 12th over.

Axar hit McDermott’s off stump as the batter went for a big shot.

Earlier, Aaron Hardie started the match with a maiden over before Yashasvi Jaiswal (37 off 28 balls) got off the mark with a lovely cover drive off Behrendorff.

The 21-year-old Jaiswal launched into Dwarshuis in the third over, hitting the left-arm seamer for three boundaries to set the tone for the host.

Ruturaj Gaikwad (32 off 28 balls) watched the action from the other end as Jaiswal went after the bowling and when the former did get strike for the first time in the fourth over, he employed the cut shot off a Behrendorff delivery to open his account with a boundary.

BRIEF SCORES: India 174/9 in 20 overs (R Singh 46, B Dwarshuis 3/40) bt Australia 154/7 in 20 overs (A Patel 3/16)