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Stand-in skipper Matthew Wade (58 from 32) led from the front for Australia as the hosts posted 194 for 5 in the second T20I at Sydney against India.
Sent into bat after losing the toss, Australia motored along to 59 for 1 in the powerplay, despite losing the out-of-sorts D’Arcy Short for just 9 runs.
Wade was in his element right from the word go. He hit three boundaries off Deepak Chahar, with a pull, a paddle and a drive. The left-hander then welcomed Washington Sundar by slog-sweeping him for a maximum.
India persisted with the off-spinner, but he saw no change in luck as 15 came off his next over as well. India heaved a sigh of relief when Short pulled T Natarajan in front of deep square leg, only for Shreyas Iyer to take a brilliant catch.
Wade, however, was relentless. Three more boundaries came off Shardul Thakur’s second over. It also did not help that Hardik Pandya dropped a simple catch off Wade's bat at deep midwicket.
The Aussie wicket-keeper bat eased his way to fifty off just 25 balls before being dismissed in the most bizarre of circumstances. A delivery from Sundar saw Wade presenting a simple catch to Virat Kohli at cover, who somehow spilled it. However, the southpaw had just set off for a run, and Steve Smith hadn’t, allowing Kohli to make amends and run Wade out. The Aussie stand-in skipper smashed 10 fours and a six.
Steve Smith lifts Australia in 2nd T20I after Wade dismissal
Glenn Maxwell came in and slapped Yuzvendra Chahal for a couple of sixes. He then perished to a knuckleball from Thakur, after having smashed him for a couple of fours as well. Maxwell was back in the hut for 22 off 13 in what is do-or-die T20I for the Aussies.
After a brief lull, Smith and Moises Henriques hammered Chahal for a six each. While Smith dragged a good length ball over long-on, Henriques swatted one over deep backward square.
Chahal, who was man of the match in the previous game, was taken for 51 runs in his four overs. He did get the massive wicket of Smith though as the batsman attempted another big hit. Pandya took catch at long-off at the end of a juggling act to end Smith’s vigil at 46 from 38 balls.
Natarajan, who was India’s best bowler of the day by some distance, then had Henriques caught behind with a cutter to finish with impressive figures of 2 for 20.
In the last over, some good hitting from Marcus Stoinis saw Australia cross the 190 -mark in the second T20I.
India decided to bowl first after winning the toss. Both teams made significant changes to their playing eleven for the Sydney T20I. India brought in Shreyas Iyer for Manish Pandey, who is nursing an elbow injury. Mohammed Shami was rested, giving Thakur a place in the playing XI.
Wade led Australia in place of the injured Aaron Finch. Daniel Sams made his T20I debut while Andrew Tye replaced Josh Hazlewood, who has a back niggle.
India lead the three-match T20I series 1-0.
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