India thump Australia in fourth T20I to secure series lead

CARRARA: Axar Patel backed his unbeaten 21-run cameo with economical bowling figures of 2/20 and powered India to a resounding 48-run victory over Australia in the fourth T20I of the five-match series here at the Carrara Oval on Thursday.

Put into bat first, the touring side accumulated 167/8 in 20 overs, courtesy of Shubman Gill’s anchoring knock at the top of the order.

The right-handed batter remained the top scorer for India with 46 off 39 deliveries, comprising four fours and a six.

He was notably supported by fellow opener Abhishek Sharma (28), Shivam Dube (22) and skipper Suryakumar Yadav (20), while Patel bolstered India’s total at the backend with an unbeaten 21 off just 11 deliveries, laced with one six and a four.

Nathan Ellis and Adam Zampa took three wickets each for Australia, with the former conceding only 21 runs in his four overs. Xavier Bartlett and Marcus Stoinis chipped in with one apiece.

Set to chase 168, Australia’s batting unit could yield 119 runs before being bowled out in 18.2 overs.

Skipper Mitchell Marsh remained the top-scorer for the home side with 30 off 24 deliveries, closely followed by his opening partner Matthew Short, who made a 19-ball 25.

Besides them, Stoinis (17), Tim David (14), Josh Inglis (12) and Josh Philippe (10) were the only batters to amass double figures against a disciplined India bowling attack.

Washington Sundar led the bowling charge for India with sensational figures of 3/3 in 1.2 overs. His efforts were backed by Patel and Dube, who claimed two wickets each, while Varun Chakravarthy, Jasprit Bumrah and Arshdeep Singh chipped in with one scalp apiece.

For his all-round performance, Patel was adjudged the Player of the Match.

The 48-run victory gave India a 2-1 lead against Australia in the five-match series, the final match of which will be played in Brisbane on Saturday.