India finally taste success in Australia

Tourists win 2nd Twenty20 by 8 wickets to level series.

MELBOURNE: MS Dhoni must have breathed a sigh of relief as India ended their win-drought on the Australian tour, clinching the second and final Twenty20 at the Melbourne Cricket Ground by eight wickets to level the series.

The tourists dazzled in the field with four run outs to restrict Australia to 131 off 19.4 overs before reaching the target with two balls to spare before 62,275 fans. The win came after India were thrashed 4-0 in the Test series before losing the opening Twenty20 by 31 runs in Sydney. However, brilliant fielding, the pick of which came from man-of-the-match Ravindra Jadeja who ran two Australians out, gave Dhoni’s men a much-needed win.

“The fielding was exceptional,” said Dhoni. “This is the best fielding side I’ve seen. It will be hard to beat this effort. We are a side that relies a lot on a good start. It’s not about the runs but a good, calm start is what we look for.

“Overall, it was a good effort by the bowlers and equally by the top three batsmen.”

It was a shambolic Australian performance with the bat and in the field as the youthful Indian side finally revealed the hunger missing for so much of the lopsided Test series.

Gambhir steers team past finish line

Gautam Gambhir top-scored with an unbeaten 56 off 60 balls, while Dhoni added an 18-ball 21. India only lost Virender Sehwag for 23 off 16 balls and Virat Kohli 31 off 24.

Earlier, opener Aaron Finch, one of three changes from Australia’s win in the opening T20 game, made 36 off 23 balls and Matthew Wade chipped in with 32 off 29 balls. But India always had the home side under pressure after getting rid of the adventurous David Warner to a great catch in the deep by a back-pedalling Gambhir off Praveen Kumar.

Australia captain George Bailey admitted India’s fielding troubled his team.

“It wasn’t as close as it looked,” said Bailey. “We were well short with the bat. Four run-outs is a big difference. We were clearly out-fielded.”

Published in The Express Tribune, February 4^th, 2012.