T20 World Cup 2021, England vs Australia: Who won yesterday's match?

What was expected to be a close fight ended up being a disappointingly one-sided affair! England crushed Australia by eight wickets in Match 26 of the T20 World Cup 2021 in Dubai on Saturday. With the win, England moved to the top of the points table in Group 1, registering their third victory in a row.

Not surprisingly, England bowled first after winning the toss in Dubai. From that point itself, Australia were never in the game. England tied down Australia and rolled them over for 125. Jos Buttler (71* off 32) then pummeled Australia’s bowling as England motored to victory in 11.4 overs.

England's openers seemed in a hurry in the chase of 126, reaching 66 for no loss at the end of the powerplay. If Jason Roy dominated in the previous game, Buttler was the more aggressive of the two this time. In the third over of the innings, he stepped out and clattered Pat Cummins for a maximum over wide mid-on. When Ashton Agar was introduced, he helped himself to a six over long-off.

In the last over of the powerplay, bowled by Mitchell Starc, he cleared the ropes twice. After clubbing a full delivery over long-on, he launched the next ball in the same direction, only this time it was a bigger six.

Adam Zampa got the breakthrough for Australia, trapping Roy (22) in front of the stumps as he missed his reverse sweep. The decision wasn’t given but the Aussies reviewed and, for a change, something went their way as Roy was given his marching orders.

Buttler, however, was in no mood to relent. He helped himself to two more fours off Starc in the eighth over. After whacking a full toss over mid-off, he clubbed the next ball over midwicket. The England opener brought up his fifty off 25 balls by dancing down the track to Zampa and lofting him over long-off for another maximum. The over ended with a reverse sweep for four and Buttler raced into the 60s.

Buttler and Jonny Bairstow combined to slam Zampa for three sixes in the 11th over, which cost the leg-spinner 20 runs. England cruised to victory in the next over with a whopping 50 balls to spare.

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Clinical England bowl out Australia for 125

Chris Jordan of England celebrates the wicket of Aaron Finch. Pic: Getty Images

England's bowlers came up with an excellent bowling effort to clean up Australia for 125 after winning the toss and inserting the opposition in. Chris Jordan (3/17), Chris Woakes (2/23) combined to strike key blows, while spinners Adil Rashid (1/19) and Liam Livingstone (1/15) kept things extremely tidy.

Australia got off to a horror start as David Warner (1) edged a seaming delivery from Woakes behind the stumps. Woakes then took a brilliant catch to send back Steve Smith (1). The experienced Aussie batter top-edged a pull off Jordan. The ball seemed to be heading over Woakes at mid-on, who back-pedaled and completed a one-handed stunner.

Woakes was in the game again as he trapped Glenn Maxwell (6) lbw by generating good seam movement and beating the aggressive batter’s drive. Australia crawled to 21 for 3 at the end of the powerplay but things only got worse for them. Marcus Stoinis (0) failed to read Rashid’s googly and was plumb lbw. Matthew Wade (18) hung around for a while with Aaron Finch (44) before miscuing an attempted big hit from Livingstone to long-on.

Australian skipper Finch, who could only watch the collapse from the other end, gave the team something to smile about by cracking consecutive boundaries off Tymal Mills in the 15th over. Ashton Agar then whacked Woakes for two sixes in the 17th over. The first one was pulled towards backward square leg, where Moeen Ali could not cling on to a tough chance. The second six was slapped over mid-wicket.

Agar’s cameo ended on 20 as he pulled Mills to deep midwicket. Cummins came in and slammed the first two balls he faced for sixes. However, Finch and Cummins perished off consecutive balls in the next over by Jordan. Starc (13) managed a six and four in the last over before being dismissed to lift Australia to 125.

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England vs Australia: Who won Player of the Match in yesterday’s T20 World Cup 2021 match?

Jordan claimed three crucial wickets for England. He dismissed Smith cheaply, and sent back Finch and Cummins off consecutive deliveries just as they were beginning to look dangerous.

Woakes picked up two scalps and also took an excellent catch. Livingstone (1/15) and Rashid (1/19) were extremely economical. When England chased, it was a one-man show with Buttler making a mockery of the target with his monster-hitting.

For Australia, there wasn't much to write home about except Finch’s defiant 44.

Jordan was named Player of the Match for his game-defining spell.