Disciplined bowling hands India commanding win over Australia

India’s bowlers delivered a masterclass under lights at the Carrara Oval on Thursday, defending a modest total with precision and discipline to seal a 48-run victory over Australia in the fourth T20 International. The win handed India an unassailable 2-1 lead in the five-match series, with one game remaining in Brisbane on November 8.

After being restricted to 167 for eight, India produced a spirited bowling effort to dismiss Australia for 119 in 18.2 overs. The trio of Axar Patel, Shivam Dube, and Washington Sundar shared seven wickets between them, dismantling Australia’s chase after a promising start.

Openers Matthew Short (30 off 24) and skipper Mitchell Marsh (25 off 19) gave Australia early momentum, racing to 45 in the first five overs. However, Axar broke the stand by trapping Short lbw, opening the floodgates for India. Dube then struck in quick succession, removing Marsh and the dangerous Tim David (14 off 9) in successive overs. His well-directed short ball against David tilted the match decisively in India’s favour.

Arshdeep Singh added to the pressure with a timely breakthrough, while Varun Chakaravarthy’s tidy spell was capped off by the prized wicket of Glenn Maxwell, bowled off the final ball of his spell. From 91 for three, Australia’s innings unraveled dramatically as Sundar cleaned up the tail with figures of 3 for 12.

Earlier, India’s batting unit found the going tough on a slightly sluggish surface. Openers Abhishek Sharma (28 off 21) and Shubman Gill (46 off 39) gave India a steady start with a 56-run stand, but the innings lost momentum once they departed.

Abhishek looked confident early on, smashing Adam Zampa for a six down the ground. However, in an attempt to clear long-on again, he mistimed one and was caught out. Gill, who had struggled for fluency throughout the series, worked hard for his runs before falling to a slower delivery from Nathan Ellis.

Promoted to No. 3, Shivam Dube (22 off 18) played a brisk cameo, while captain Suryakumar Yadav (20 off 10) provided a brief spark with two towering sixes before perishing to a miscue. Despite some late resistance, India’s middle order couldn’t capitalize, losing wickets at regular intervals in the final overs.

Nathan Ellis was the standout performer for Australia, finishing with 3 for 21 from four overs, while Zampa, though expensive (3 for 45), chipped in with crucial breakthroughs.

Axar Patel (21 not out off 11) provided valuable runs at the death, hitting a pair of boundaries that lifted India past 160, a total that eventually proved more than enough.

India’s disciplined bowling, sharp fielding, and smart use of variations ensured Australia never recovered after the middle-order collapse. The visitors will now head to Brisbane with a chance to wrap up the series in style.

Score Summary:

India – 167/8 (Shubman Gill 46, Abhishek Sharma 28, Nathan Ellis 3/21)

Australia – 119 all out in 18.2 overs (Matthew Short 30, Washington Sundar 3/12, Axar Patel 2/19, Shivam Dube 2/22)

India won by 48 runs; lead 2–1 in series.