Finally Australia able to show to the world why they are one of the best team in any format of the game. In front of 850000 crowds at M.C.G Australia beat the Indians by nine wickets to register their first win against the Indians in the T20 format. India could do little to justify their status of world champions, crashing to a nine-wicket defeat in a one-off Twenty20 match against Australia here on Friday. After being bowled out for a second lowest total in twenty20 for 74, India could only watch helplessly as Australia cruised to a comfortable win, whipping the bowling to ensure a quick win for the One-Day world champions. Chasing a target of 75 to win for 3.75 runs per over, Australian got of to flying start with Adam Gilchrist (25 runs) playing his last twenty20 International smashed the Indian bowler all around the park and Michael Clarke (31 not out) made the Indian bowling look pedestrian. Gilchrist got a life when 50 runs on the board when bad calling between Harbhajan Singh and Irfan Pathan led to a sitter being dropped. Gilchrist finally perished after smashing two boundaries and two sixes. Clarke then took Australia home in the company of Brad Hodge (10), with 8.4 overs to spare. Earlier Indian captain M.S Dhoni won the toss and decided to bat first on a wicket which looks slow. Indian batsman didn’t capitalize and try to hit each and every bowl out of the park only manages to throw away their wicket. At one stage they were reduce to 20/4 in 3.2 overs. However some sensible batting by Irfan Pathan took pass the Indian score to 74, which is second lowest total in twenty20 (First lowest is 73 made by Kenya in Twenty20 world cup in 2007 against New Zealand). He is the only batsman who got into double figure. India went into the match without star batsman Sachin Tendulkar, the injured Yuvraj Singh, Suresh Raina and Piyush Chawla. Praveen Kumar made his Twenty20 debut. Michael Clark was declared Man of the Match for his brilliant 37 runs and for brilliant fielding. Match Summary India –74/10 in 17.3 Overs Irfan Pathan – 26 Gautam Gambhir- 9 Nathan Bracken – 2.3-1-11-3 Adam Voges - 2-0-5-2 Australia –75/1 in 11.2 Overs M.Clark – 37* A.Gilchrist – 25 P.Kumar – 2-0-15-1 Irfan Pathan - 3-0-18-0 |
