After skipper Virat Kohli scored his 40th ODI century, Vijay Shankar put in a World Cup spot sealing performance to help India pull back a nerve-wracking eight-run win over Australia in the second ODI of the five-match series at the Vidarbha Cricket Association Stadium in Nagpur on Tuesday.
Asked to bat first, Kohli waged a lone battle as he slammed a blistering knock of 116 runs off 120 balls while the wickets kept tumbling at quick intervals. Vijay Shankar (46) was the only batsman to share a decent partnership of 81 run with the Indian skipper before the Men in Blue were bundled out for 250.
In reply, the Indian bowlers once again came up with a decent performance, especially Vijay Shankar who held his nerve in the final over to bag two wickets and wrap Australia's innings for 242.
Marcus Stoinis (52) and Peter Handscomb (48) were the highest scorers for Australia.
Here are the live updates:
# With this, India have clinched their 500th ODI win and 49th against Australia.
# India clinch a nerve-wracking eight-run win over Australia!
# Australia need just 11 runs from 6 balls. Australia 240/8 (49 overs)
# Wicket! The match has suddenly turned in India's favour as Australia have lost three wickets in quick successions. Kuldeep Yadav first caught Carey for 22 before Bumrah struck twice to remove Coulter-Nile and Cummins for four and a duck, respectively. Australia 223/8 (46 overs)
OUT! The replay shows it's a clean catch to Dhoni and Bumrah has two wickets in the over! Australia 8-223, needing 28 from 27 balls to win https://t.co/CfYpW5uE9T #INDvAUS
— cricket.com.au (@cricketcomau) March 5, 2019
OUT! Another twist! Carey drags Kuldeep back onto his stumps to depart for 22, Australia 6-218, needing 33 from 33 https://t.co/CfYpW5uE9T #INDvAUS
— cricket.com.au (@cricketcomau) March 5, 2019
# Bumrah bowled a tight 42nd over before Kuldeep conceded 15 runs, including two boundaries and a six to Australia. The hosts now require just 44 runs from 42 balls remaining. The game is slowly and steadily moving out of India's hand. Australia 207/5 (43 overs)
# Alex Carey comes to bat for Australia!
# Wicket! Mohammed Shami bags a big wicket of Marcus Stoinis, who fell just two runs short of a half-century. Shami shortens his length slightly and Handscomb presses half-forward and smashes the ball into the point region as Jadeja collects the same and makes a direct hit. Australia 175/5 (38 overs)
OUT! Huge moment in this game! Handscomb takes on Jadeja's arm and a direct hit sends him on his way for 49. Australia 5-175 needing 80 from 75 balls https://t.co/CfYpW5d3il #INDvAUS
— cricket.com.au (@cricketcomau) March 5, 2019
# Jadhav bowled a tight 35th over before Jadeja conceded seven runs to Australia, including a square leg boundary to Handscomb. While Handscomb (41) is slowly moving towards his half-century, Stoinis (12) is providing him with good support from the other end. India desperately need quick wickets to stand any chance of winning the match. Australia 160/4 (36 overs)
# Australia experienced a nervy moment in the 33rd over when Dhoni nearly caught Handscomb's wicket behind the stump. Jadhav bowled a slow delivery and as Handscomb looked to paddle, Dhoni began moving to the leg side but the ball popped out of his gloves. Australia 145/4 (33 overs)
# Marcus Stoinis is the new batsman in !
# Wicket! Kuldeep strikes again. The Chinaman bowler has bagged a big wicket by bowling out Glenn Maxwell for four runs. Kuldeep bowls a little low and Maxwell fails to make contact. Australia down by four wickets with 119 runs required from 21.3 overs. Australia 132/3 (28.3 overs)
OUT! Bowled him! Kuldeep gets one to stay a little low and Maxwell can't make contact. Australia 4-132, needing 119 to win from 129 balls https://t.co/CfYpW5uE9T #INDvAUS
— cricket.com.au (@cricketcomau) March 5, 2019
# Glenn Maxwell comes to bat for Australia.
# Wicket! Jadeja strikes for India. Marsh goes on the back foot to flick the fifth delivery of the 24th over but gets the inside of the bat and Dhoni takes a spectacular catch down the leg side. Australia 123/3 (24 overs)
# 16 runs off the last three overs. Peter Handscomb (17) and Shaun Marsh (13) are looking to rebuild Australia's ship after losing Khawaja and Finch in quick successions. The visitors require another 138 runs from 29 overs to win the match. The Men in Blue, on the other hand, need to grab a few more quick wickets to turn the game in their favour. Australia 113/2 (21 overs)
# Wicket! Khawaja attempted to work against the minimal spin from Jadhav, but ended up getting a thick leading edge and the ball flew all the way to cover as Kohli took a simple catch. Australia 86/2 (16 overs)
OUT! And now Khawaja departs! He chips one straight to cover and Australia have lost 2-0. This game takes another turn! https://t.co/CfYpW5uE9T #INDvAUS
— cricket.com.au (@cricketcomau) March 5, 2019
# Shaun Marsh comes to bat for Australia!
# Wicket! Kuldeep Yadav gives a much-needed breakthrough to India. After losing a leg before wicket appeal against Finch in the 12th over, Kuldeep finally caught the Australian skipper for 37. Australia 83/1 (13 overs)
OUT! Finally the breakthrough for India! Kuldeep traps Finch in front and the skipper has to depart for 37, Aus 1-83 https://t.co/CfYpW5uE9T #INDvAUS
— cricket.com.au (@cricketcomau) March 5, 2019
# The Australian openers are going strong and adding runs at a good pace to their scoreboard. The hosts now require 173 runs from 37 overs remaining. India, on the other hand, are looking under pressure as they are wicketless after 13 overs. Australia 78/0 (13 overs)
# Finch (26) and Khawaja (28) are looking good at the middle as they have brought up a half-century stand for the opening wicket. Shankar and Jadeja combined to give away 22 runs to the Australians in the last two overs, including five boundaries. Australia 60/0 (10 overs)
# Ravindra Jadeja replaces Mohammed Shami into the attack!
# Shami bowled a tight fifth over giving away just two runs to the Australians before Bumrah conceded a boundary to Khawaja, who pulled a short delivery with ease over square leg. Australia 32/0 (6 overs)
A solid start from Australia's openers in Nagpur - they've moved to 0-32 after six overs chasing 251. LIVE: https://t.co/CfYpW5uE9T #INDvAUS pic.twitter.com/m6W8TOq0eL
— cricket.com.au (@cricketcomau) March 5, 2019
# A good start from Australia as they have added 13 runs in their first two overs. Finch got off the mark by tucking a shorter delivery from Shami towards fine leg to score a single before Khawaja scored two runs off the very next ball to open his account. Australia 13/0 (2 overs)
# Skipper Aaron and Usman Khawaja to begin Australia's chase. Mohammed Shami will open the proceedings for India.
# Innings Break!
# Australia bundle out India for 250 runs!
OUT! And that does it! Coulter-Nile gets the final wicket and India are all out for 250 in 48.2 overs https://t.co/CfYpW5uE9T #INDvAUS
— cricket.com.au (@cricketcomau) March 5, 2019
# Wicket! Cummins has completed a three-wicket haul by bagging a big wicket of Virat Kohli. The Indian skipper makes way to the pavilion after being caught by Marcus Stoinis at deep square leg. An impressive innings comes to an end. India 249/9 (48 overs)
# Kuldeep Yadav comes to bat for India!
# Wicket! Jadeja attempted to take some pressure off from Virat Kohli and sliced a slower delivery from Cummins high to mid off, only to see Usman Khawaja run backwards and take the catch. India 239/7 (46 overs)
OUT! Jadeja falls going for a big one and Cummins gets his second! Khawaja takes the catch, India 7-238 https://t.co/CfYpW5uE9T #INDvAUS
— cricket.com.au (@cricketcomau) March 5, 2019
# Kohli brings up his 40th ODI century off just 107 balls. The 30-year-old reached the same by smashing a short and wide delivery from Coulter-Nile towards the backward point area for four runs. It is also the Indian skipper's seventh ODI ton against Australia. India 228/6 (44 overs)
CENTURY! That's ODI hundred Number FORTY for Virat Kohli and his seventh against Australia. And probably one of his best too. Superb performance https://t.co/CfYpW5uE9T #INDvAUS pic.twitter.com/oSnlnS7wt9
— cricket.com.au (@cricketcomau) March 5, 2019
# Kohli (88) continues to remain solid at the crease and he is steadily approaching towards a century. The Indian skipper and Jadeja (9) have managed to take India past the 200-run mark. Australia almost run out Kohli when the captain taps a ball to point and moves forward for a run, but Jadeja sends him back. Maxwell throws the ball only to see himself miss the stumps. India 204/6 (40 overs)
# Kohli (74) seems to be waging a lone war at the crease, with India being reduced by six wickets with 15 overs still remaining in hand. The Indian skipper wis definitely looking for support from Jadeja--who is the only batsmen left--to help the Men in Blue set a safe total. India 181/6 (35 overs)
# Ravindra Jadeja is the new batsman in!
# Wicket! Zampa is on a roll as he completed a hat-trick by dismissing Dhoni for a duck. The Indian wicketkeeper-batsman only managed a thick edge off the very first ball he faced as Usman Khawaja took a simple catch at slip. India 171/6 (32.3 overs)
OUT! Dhoni goes first ball and Nagpur is STUNNED! Zampa finds the edge and Khawaja hangs on at slip! Zampa on a hat-trick, India 6-171 https://t.co/CfYpW5uE9T #INDvAUS
— cricket.com.au (@cricketcomau) March 5, 2019
# MS Dhoni comes to bat for India!
# Wicket! Zampa strikes again. The Australian bowls a full and wide delivery outside off and Jadhav played a full drive over short extra-cover to hand a good catch to Finch. India 171/4 (32.2 overs)
OUT! Finch takes a sharp catch at cover to give Zampa his first wicket and send Jadhav on his way for 11. India 5-171 as Dhoni joins Kohli in the middle https://t.co/CfYpW5uE9T #INDvAUS
— cricket.com.au (@cricketcomau) March 5, 2019
# Kedar Jadhav is the new batsman in!
# Wicket! Adam Zampa was called back into the attack in order to break a half-century stand between Kohli and Shankar. And the Australian bowler did not disappoint as he removed Shankar for 46. Kohli drove the fifth delivery of the 29th over straight with a lot of force and as Zampa tried to stop the ball, it smashed straight into the stumps at the other end. India 156/4 (29 overs)
OUT! Freakish! Zampa gets a touch on a firmly-hit drive from Kohli to run Shankar out at the bowler's end. He falls just short of a maiden ODI fifty and India are 4-156 https://t.co/CfYpW5uE9T #INDvAUS
— cricket.com.au (@cricketcomau) March 5, 2019
# The Indian skipper brings up his 50th ODI half-century off just 55 balls. Kohli achieved the feat by driving Nathan Coulter-Nile's first delivery of the 25th over between the non-striker and mid-on for four runs. India 124/3 (25 overs)
FIFTY!
The Indian Skipper brings up a hard fought half-century. This is his 50th in ODIs
Scorecard - https://t.co/uMRPRyp6ys #INDvAUS pic.twitter.com/sOi5yUxNZ6
— BCCI (@BCCI) March 5, 2019
# Kohli (45) is looking good at the middle and is slowly approaching towards his half-century, while Shankar is looking to provide good support to his skipper after the Men in Blue lost their first three wickets quickly. The duo has brought up 32-run stand off 26 balls. India 104/3 (22 overs)
# Vijay Shankar is the new batsman in !
# Wicket! Australia brought in Nathan Lyon into the attack and he delivered in his very first over by removing Rayudu for 18 runs. Lyon trapped the Indian batsman in front, but Rayudu went for a review and the ball tracking showed pitching in line, hitting middle. India 75/3 (17 overs)
Three reds for the Aussies and they have their third! Rayudu on his way for 18, India 3-75 https://t.co/CfYpW5uE9T #INDvAUS
— cricket.com.au (@cricketcomau) March 5, 2019
# 17 runs of the last three overs, including two boundaries from Rayudu. Kohli (26) and Rayudu (18) are looking settled at the middle and have managed to stitch a little bit partnership. Australia have called back Zampa into the attack as they look to break the Indian stand. India 68/2 (16 overs)
# After losing openers Dhawan and Sharma, skipper Kohli (21) is looking to steady India's innings and is hoping for good support from Rayudu (eight) at the other end. The Australian bowlers, on the other hand, are continuing to maintain pressure and avoiding giving easy runs to the hosts. India 52/2 (13 overs)
# Ambati Rayudu is the new batsman in!
# Wicket! As and when Kohli and Dhawan was looking settled at the crease, Glenn Maxwell struck to remove the latter for 21. Australia appealed a leg before wicket against Dhawan after the field umpire declared a not out. The ball tracking system showed that the Indian opener was hit flush on the pad in front of leg. India 39/2 (9 overs)
OUT! What a review from Australia! It's given not out on the field but Maxwell is convinced he's trapped Dhawan in front and replays show the ball is hitting leg! He's gone for 21, it's 2-38 https://t.co/CfYpW5uE9T #INDvAUS
— cricket.com.au (@cricketcomau) March 5, 2019
# Runs have started flowing in for India. Kohli and Dhawan are looking to build India's innings after losing Sharma for a duck in the first over of the match. The Indian duo has brought up 16 runs in the last two overs, including two boundaries each from Kohli and Dhawan. India 24/1 (5 overs)
A couple of delightful boundaries from Virat Kohli in that over as India move to 1-16 after four overs https://t.co/CfYpW5uE9T #INDvAUS
— cricket.com.au (@cricketcomau) March 5, 2019
# Eight runs off the last two overs. Dhawan got off the mark by hitting the first delivery of the second over off his pads with ease for the first boundary of the match, while Kohli opened his account by scoring a single off Cummins' delivery in the third over. India 8/1 (3 overs)
# Skipper Virat Kohli comes to bat at No.3!
# Wicket! Big blow for India as they have lost Rohit Sharma in the very first over. Cummins bowls a short and wide delivery, propelling the Indian opener to smash a cut shot over backward point but he eventually ended up giving a simple catch to Adam Zampa at third man. India 0/1 (1 over)
And he strikes! Rohit guides one down to third man to give the Aussie the perfect start! The star opener goes for a duck, India 1-0 https://t.co/CfYpW5uE9T #INDvAUS
— cricket.com.au (@cricketcomau) March 5, 2019
# Shikhar Dhawan and Rohit Sharma have walked down the crease to open India's innings. Pat Cummins to open the attack for Australia.
# India are going with an unchanged squad while Australia have brought in Shaun Marsh and Nathan Lyon as a replacement for Ashton Turner and Jason Behrendorff, respectively.
# Lineups:
India XI: Rohit Sharma, Shikhar Dhawan, Virat Kohli (c), Ambati Rayudu, MS Dhoni, Kedar Jadhav, Vijay Shankar, Ravi Jadeja, Kuldeep Yadav, Mohammed Shami, Jasprit Bumrah #INDvAUS
#TeamIndia Playing XI for the 2nd ODI #INDvAUS pic.twitter.com/nb5LnEJvG0
— BCCI (@BCCI) March 5, 2019
Australia XI: Usman Khawaja, Aaron Finch (c), Shaun Marsh, Peter Handscomb, Glenn Maxwell, Marcus Stoinis, Alex Carey (wk), Nathan Coulter-Nile, Pat Cummins, Adam Zampa, Nathan Lyon #AUSvIND
2nd ODI. Australia XI: U Khawaja, A Finch, M Stoinis, P Handscomb, G Maxwell, S Marsh, A Carey, N Coulter-Nile, P Cummins, A Zampa, N Lyon https://t.co/uMRPRy7vGU #IndvAus @Paytm
— BCCI (@BCCI) March 5, 2019
# Australia win the toss, ask India to bat first!
Aaron Finch wins his fourth toss of the tour and elects to bowl first #INDvAUS pic.twitter.com/Oq0NFVxOEE
— cricket.com.au (@cricketcomau) March 5, 2019
# The fans are geared up for the match!
Nagpur is ready for the 2nd ODI. Are you?#INDvAUS pic.twitter.com/BnM73Ddrli
— BCCI (@BCCI) March 5, 2019
# The toss will take place at 1 pm (IST).
Match Day - Toss at 1PM IST #TeamIndia #INDvAUS @paytm pic.twitter.com/oEFXWlWb2w
— BCCI (@BCCI) March 5, 2019
Having kicked off their five-match ODI series against Australia on a winning note, India will look to capitalize on the same while World Cup hopefuls will continue to strive for berths when the Men in Blue face the visitors in the second game in Nagpur on Tuesday.
After slumping to a 0-2 T20I series sweep against Australia, the home side rebounded strongly to clinch a six-wicket win in the opening ODI against the Aaron Finch-led team to take a 1-0 lead in the series.
While Mahendra Singh Dhoni (59) and Kedar Jadhav (81) helped India cross the target of 237 with 10 balls to spare, it was Indian bowlers--as skipper Virat Kohli said-- took the game for India.
Going into the remaining four limited-overs matches ahead of the showpiece cricket event, the Virat Kohli-led side will look to sort out the available two World Cup slots in an otherwise settled Indian squad.
Though opener Shikhar Dhawan failed to click with the bat and departed for a duck, KL Rahul is unlikely to replace him in the upcoming fixtures despite a decent performance in the two-match T20I series.
Meanwhile, the Indian team will once again rely on their bowling attack, led by pace spearhead Jasprit Bumrah alongside Kuldeep Yadav, Mohammed Shami and Kedar Jadhav.
However, wicketkeeper-batsman Rishabh Pant could return to the national squad in place of all-rounder Vijay Shankar, who did not get the chance to bat in the first ODI while he conceded 22 runs in three overs with the ball.
On the other hand, Australia will be keen to shrug off their opening match defeat and take inspiration from their T20I series win over India.
Skipper Aaron Finch's poor form at the top of the batting line-up continues to be a serious concern for Australia, who are eagerly waiting for the return of former skipper Steve Smith and former vice-captain David Warner whose one-year suspensions for their role in the ball-tampering scandal are all set to expire on March 28.
Having endured a bad year in ODI cricket in 2018, the visitors are keen to clinch their first series in the 50-over format in two years ahead of the 2019 World Cup.
The two squads are as follows:
India: Virat Kohli (captain), Shikhar Dhawan, Rohit Sharma, Ambati Rayudu, Mahendra Singh Dhoni (wk), Kedar Jadhav, Vijay Shankar, Jasprit Bumrah, Mohammed Shami, Kuldeep Yadav, Yuzvendra Chahal, Rishabh Pant, Siddarth Kaul, KL Rahul, Ravindra Jadeja.
Australia: Aaron Finch (captain), D`Arcy Short, Shaun Marsh, Marcus Stoinis, Usman Khawaja, Alex Carey, Peter Handscomb, Ashton Turner, Adam Zampa, Jason Behrendorff, Jhye Richardson, Pat Cummins, Andrew Tye, Nathan Coulter-Nile, Nathan Lyon.
