The second T20I of the three-match T20I series between the hosts Australia and the visitors India at Melbourne on Friday (November 23) failed to produce a result after the several rain-stoppages hampered the game totally. Australia managed to score 132/7 in 19 overs while Indian innings didn’t even begin.
Indian skipper Virat Kohli decided to field first after winning the toss. From the beginning of the first innings, Indian bowlers dominated over the Aussie batsmen as none of the top-order batsmen reached the 20-run marks in that innings.
Skipper and the opener Aaron Finch was dismissed for a golden duck on the second ball of the game. Another opener D’Arcy Short and the no.3 batsman Chris Lynn both failed to count their respective drop chances as Lynn only managed to score 13 runs while Short followed him on 14 runs.
Soon, Marcus Stoinis was dismissed on 4 runs while the dangerous Glenn Maxwell was bowled by Krunal Pandya on 19 runs. Wicketkeeper-batsman Alex Carey (4) also fell cheaply as Australia was struggling on 74/6 at one stage.
Also watch: Krunal Pandya Takes The Revenge With Glenn Maxwell
However, in the end, some brilliant knocks helped Australia to put a fighting total on the board. Nathan Coulter-Nile played a little firing knock of 20 runs off just 9 balls (1 four and 2 sixes) while Ben McDermott and Andrew Tye put a brilliant partnership for the eighth wicket.
Before the rain stopped the game, Australia was 132/7 in 19 overs while McDermott and Tye had an unbroken 31-run partnership for the eighth wicket. At the rain stoppage, McDermott was batting on 32 off 30 balls (2 fours and 1 six) and Tye was not out on 12 runs off 13 balls (2 fours).
Among the Indian bowlers, Bhuvneshwar Kumar (2/20) and Khaleel Ahmed (2/39) picked up two wickets each while Jasprit Bumrah (1/20), Kuldeep Yadav (1/23) and Krunal Pandya (1/26) claimed one wicket each.
The match was very close to restarting several times, even sometimes the fielders and batsmen just started to walk on the ground, but always the rain returned unconvincingly and stopped the game without starting the second innings.
Talking about the several times restart, at first, Australia was coming to complete their innings by playing the last over when the rain returned once again. After that, India got the several DLS revised targets like 137 runs in 19 overs, 90 runs in 11 overs and 46 runs in 5 overs respectively but every time rain returned very soon and India even failed to start at least their innings too. In the end, the match failed to restart as it has no result and Australia has stayed with the 1-0 lead in this three-match T20I series.
Here are some Twitter reactions:
With Raina not around, Manish Pandey not in the 11, Rahane not picked and Jadeja in and out, India's fielding isn't as sharp.
— Harsha Bhogle (@bhogleharsha) November 23, 2018
Three Australian batsmen caught at deep point. Incredible to assume that you’d be hitting a six over point at MCG 🙈🤔 #AusvInd
— Aakash Chopra (@cricketaakash) November 23, 2018
Rains stop the game yet again ☔ . A good display by our bowlers! It's now for our batsmen to finish the job! 🇮🇳 #AUSvIND
— Harbhajan Turbanator (@harbhajan_singh) November 23, 2018
22 Nov, 2018: India Women's run of 7 consecutive T20I wins came to an end.
23 Nov, 2018: India Men's run of 7 consecutive T20I series wins comes to an end. #AUSvIND
— Umang Pabari (@UPStatsman) November 23, 2018
Melbourne or Mumbai? MCG crowd about 85/15 in favour of India. Huge support for the visiting team. Would be a terribly low crowd otherwise #AUSvIND
— Andrew Wu (@wutube) November 23, 2018
Went wicket less and brutally beaten by Maxi in the last match………
But this time he is back with a bang 😎in the 2nd T20 and picked up maxwells wicket by a stunning delivery #AUSvIND @krunalpandya24 💪💪💣 pic.twitter.com/4E9SY23Q6B— Saidi Reddy (@Saidi5492) November 23, 2018
#INDvAUS #AUSvIND
Plzz bring Dhoni back @BCCI @SonyLIV pic.twitter.com/kadQ80HCTS— Alpha (@two_pie_r) November 23, 2018
Good god, this chase will go to the wire like last one and hopefully there's no more rains. Slow balls on this huge ground will make it difficult for the batsmen to clear the ropes but a wet ball isn't great for the bowlers either. Competitive total imo. #AUSvIND
— Sanjiv Raman (@imsanjivraman) November 23, 2018
Poor captaincy from Virat for not letting Bumrah even a chance to bowl his 5th over.#AUSvIND
— Samagra Adhikari (@samagra_1) November 23, 2018
Vikrant sir rishab pant stump k piche bahat missed fielding kar raha he captain ka dimag kahan he 🤔 DK v to field me he na @vikrantgupta73 #AUSvIND
— sameer sam 🇮🇳🚩 (@8Dat55CkS9J6hPE) November 23, 2018
Rain never interrupted Team India's matches whenever Rohit Sharma was captaining the side. Thats a bonus for Team as he can control the weather too. Poor captaincy from Virat Kohli.
Thats Y#MakeRohitIndianCaptain~Vikrant "Bradman" Gupta#AUSvIND #AUSvsIND pic.twitter.com/EiCcnYqlLJ
— Asli Vikrant Gupta (@AsliVikrant) November 23, 2018
DUCKWARD LEWIS are here!
Who introduced DLS method!
Say hi to them 😂#AUSvIND pic.twitter.com/DhXFC8HzXB— AayusH🇮🇳 (@Cricketician_) November 23, 2018
Mental haters…VIRAT is a cricketer…Not a weather reporter…b ****** #AUSvIND
— Ary (@rj17en) November 23, 2018
Duckworth Lewis System has added more runs to Australian innings in this series than Aaron Finch. #AUSvIND
— Silly Point (@FarziCricketer) November 23, 2018
The Indians might not be getting a refund for the game, but at least they had their first shower for the week as a bonus. Even better, it was free .#AUSvIND
— Jake Bozinovski 🐝⚫️⚪️ (@TheRealBozza1) November 23, 2018
After match cancellation every indian be like#AUSvIND pic.twitter.com/vnZBNZPWYD
— KAVYA🌀 (@Tingling_Baby) November 23, 2018
