India are one win away from sealing a T20I series victory in Australia. The visitors produced a ruthless bowling display at the Carrara Oval on Thursday, defending a modest total of 167 to beat Australia by 48 runs and take an unassailable 2-1 lead in the five-match series.
At one stage, the chase looked comfortable for the hosts. Australia were 67 for 1, with the asking rate well under control and wickets in hand. Then India’s spinners took over, and what followed was a collapse of nine wickets for just 52 runs. Australia were bowled out for 119 in 18.2 overs, and the series, which had been locked at 1-1 after the first game was washed out, suddenly tilted firmly India’s way.
Gill holds the innings together
Put in to bat first on a two-paced surface with variable bounce, India never quite found top gear with the bat. Shubman Gill anchored the innings with a fluent 46 off 39 balls, holding one end together while wickets fell around him. Abhishek Sharma gave the start some impetus with 28 off 21, and captain Suryakumar Yadav chipped in with a brisk 20 off just 10 balls.
Axar Patel (22 off 13) and Shivam Dube (18 off 9) provided valuable late runs, but Australia’s bowlers kept striking at regular intervals. Nathan Ellis was the pick of the attack with 3 for 21, while Adam Zampa took 3 for 45. From 121 for 2 after 14 overs, India managed only 167 for 8, a total that looked slightly below par on a ground where big scores are common.
At the innings break, the mood in the Indian camp was cautious rather than confident. The pitch had offered something for the bowlers all evening, and the visitors knew they would need something special in the field.
Sundar’s eight balls change the game
What followed was one of the most remarkable spells of the series. Washington Sundar bowled just eight deliveries in the entire match, but he took three wickets and conceded only three runs. His figures of 3 for 3 broke Australia’s back at exactly the moment the chase was drifting their way.
Axar Patel backed him up with 2 for 20, and Shivam Dube took two wickets of his own as the spin trio strangled the Australian middle order. Mitchell Marsh top-scored for the hosts with 30, and Matthew Short made 25, but nobody else crossed 20. From a position of strength at 67 for 1, Australia lost their last nine wickets for 52 runs and were eventually bundled out with 10 balls to spare.
The collapse was as much about pressure as it was about the bowling. India’s fielders were sharp, the spinners kept hitting the same lengths, and the asking rate kept climbing with every dot ball. By the time the ninth wicket fell, the result had long stopped being in doubt.
What the win means for the series
The result leaves India 2-1 up with one game to play. The best Australia can now manage is a 2-2 draw, and they must win the final T20I at The Gabba in Brisbane to avoid a series defeat at home. India, meanwhile, will be chasing a 3-1 series win, a result that would underline how far this young side has come in the shortest format.
- Series position: India lead 2-1 after four matches, with the first game washed out.
- Top scorer: Shubman Gill’s 46 was the highest score of the match.
- Best bowling: Washington Sundar’s 3 for 3 off just eight balls.
- Turning point: Australia’s slide from 67 for 1 to 119 all out.
- Next match: The fifth and final T20I at The Gabba, Brisbane.
A team finding its identity away from home
This was not a win built on one big innings or a single burst of brilliance. It was a collective effort, the kind that has become a hallmark of this Indian side under Suryakumar Yadav. Gill’s calm at the top, the late-order runs from Axar and Dube, and then a disciplined bowling performance in which every bowler played a part.
There is also a wider significance to the result. Winning a T20I series in Australia is never easy, and doing it with a side still settling into its combinations makes it sweeter. The bowlers, in particular, will take huge confidence from defending 167 on a ground that usually rewards batting.
For Australia, the questions are sharper. Their middle order has now failed twice in this series when the pressure has come on, and Marsh will want answers before the final game. The hosts have the talent to level the series, but they will need to find a way past India’s spinners, who have now won their side two games in a row.
FAQs
What was the score in the fourth T20I between India and Australia?
India scored 167 for 8 in 20 overs and bowled Australia out for 119 in 18.2 overs, winning by 48 runs at the Carrara Oval in Queensland.
Who was the top scorer for India?
Shubman Gill top-scored with 46 off 39 balls. Abhishek Sharma made 28, and captain Suryakumar Yadav scored a brisk 20 off 10 balls.
Who took the most wickets for India?
Washington Sundar took 3 wickets for just 3 runs in eight balls. Axar Patel and Shivam Dube took two wickets each.
What is the series score now?
India lead the five-match T20I series 2-1. The first match was washed out, and one game remains to be played.
When and where is the final T20I?
The fifth and final T20I will be played at The Gabba in Brisbane. India need only avoid defeat to win the series, while Australia must win to draw it 2-2.
India will head to Brisbane knowing the series is theirs to lose. After a night when their bowlers turned a below-par total into a comfortable win, that is exactly the position they would have wanted.
