Maxwell blasts century to power Australia to T20I series win

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Wed, 27 February 2019

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22:33 Maxwell blasts century to power Australia to T20I series win

Aus 194-3 (19.4 ovs) vs India 190-4 | Scorecard

Glenn Maxwell blasted a quickfire century to help Australia sweep the two-match T20 series following a seven-wicket victory in Bengaluru.

Maxwell shred the Indian bowling attack to pieces as he blasted 113 from 55 balls, hitting nine sixes and seven fours. He was involved in an unbroken stand of 99 from 52 balls with Peter Handscomb, who was not out on 20 from 18 balls.

Set a huge 191 for victroy, Australia won with two balls to spare to sweep the two-match T20I series 2-0.

Earlier, captain Virat Kohli stroked a quickfire half-century to power India to a healthy 190 for four.

Kohli smashed an unbeaten 72 from 38 balls, hitting two fours and six sixes, to rally India after a few quick wickets.

He put on a 100-run stand for the fourth wicket from just 50 balls with Dhoni, who stroked 40 from 23 balls, to put India in charge.

KL Rahul had rallied India after an early wicket as he smashed 47 from 26 balls to rally the hosts after the early dismissal of Shikhar Dhawan (14).

Aus 194-3 (19.4 ovs) vs India 190-4 | Scorecard

Kaul to bowl the final over. Maxwell drives the first ball but can't beat cover and manages just a single... 8 needed from 5 balls.

Handscomb drives the next straight to point and gets off strike... 7 needed from 4 balls.

Maxwell then takes a couple of steps down the pitch and hits a full toss back over the bowler's head for a six to level scores.

The last ball is hammered through the covers for a four as Maxwell ends the match in style.

22:22 Australia need 9 from last over for victory

Aus 182-3 (19 ovs) vs India 190-4 | Scorecard

Pacer Kaul comes back into the attack. The first ball is a slower ball and Maxwell is deceived all ends up as he swings hard but fails to connect.

The next ball again is slow but this time he picks it early as he lofts it back over the bowler's head for a six to take his score into the 90s.

Kaul bowls a high full toss which Maxwell carts over midwicket for a six and the bowler is penalised with a no-ball for height.

Maxwell can't make most of the free hit as he hits it down the ground and is caught at long-off but he picks a single to take his score to 99.

In the next over, Maxwell digs out a yorker which is stopped by Dhoni to his right. The Australian takes a single to race to his century from just 50 balls as Australia are on course for victory.

It's all yorkers from Bumrah as Handscomb hits it to point for one and Maxwell does well to clip it to square leg for another run.

Handscomb then hits the fourth ball straight but ends up hitting the stumps at the non-striker's end and fails to get a run.

Bumrah then bowls a full toss as Handscomb drives it gently down to long-on for one.

Maxwell clips the last ball to deep midwicket for one, leaving Australia to get nine from the last over for victory.

Aus 159-3 (17 ovs) vs India 190-4 | Scorecard

Maxwell clips Chahal to midwicket and comes back for the second. The next delivery is flighted on the pads as Maxwell sweeps it high over the square leg fence for a six.

Maxwell then brings out the switch hit as he smacks Chahal for another big six over the point fence as it clears the boundary easily to bring up the 50-run stand for the fourth wicket from just 26 balls.

Maxwell flicks the next ball to midwicket and Handscomb can only drive a full toss to sweeper cover for one.

Maxwell is beaten last ball but Australia have got 16 from the over to stay in the hunt, with 44 needed from four overs for victory.

Not a good day with the ball for Chahal as he gives away 47 from his four overs.

Maxwell has single-handedly kept Australia alive, smashing 75 from just 40 balls.

Bumrah, who has two overs in hand, comes back. Handscomb hits the first ball square as Krunal at point puts in the dive to stop the boundary but attempts a run out to give away an overthrow.

No stopping Maxwell as he slams an overpitched delivery over the covers for a boundary before he digs out a yorker for one to take his score to 80.

A single to Handscomb as he brings Maxwell back on strike, who swings the next ball powerfully past square leg for a four.

The last ball is drilled to deep point for one as Bumrah goes for 12 in his third over, leaving Australia to get 32 from three overs for victory.

Aus 131-3 (15 ovs) vs India 190-4 | Scorecard

Krunal continues and he does well to give away just five runs in his third over to build up the pressure.

Maxwell picks a single to race to his fifty from just 28 balls, his second in a row, to keep Australia's hopes alive in this match.

Leg-spinner Chahal comes back from the other end. Handscomb comes down the track and lofts the spinner over the covers for a four. Four more singles from the over as Chahal goes for eight as Australia reach 121 for three in 14 overs, needing 70 from six overs for victory.

Maxwell has a huge swing against Krunal, who is bowling his final over, but fails to connect.

Krunal firing it in as Maxwell can't make proper connection with the pull for one to deep midwicket.

Handscomb sweeps the third ball behind square but only for a single.

A desperate Maxwell attempts the switch hit but he misses and the leg before appeal is turned down.

Maxwell makes up for it as he clubs the fifth ball down the ground for a big six, getting maximum power in the lofted shot.

The last ball is short as Maxwell tries to pull but gets an inside edge for a single to deep square leg.

Australia are 131 for three in 15 overs, needing 60 from five overs for victory.

21:53 Short out for 40; Aus lose 3rd wicket

Aus 108-3 (12 ovs) vs India 190-4 | Scorecard

The asking rate is over 10 and Maxwell ensures that Australia keep in touch as he hammers Krunal back over his head for a four, to get eight from the spinner's over.

The two spinners -- Chahal and Krunal -- have struggled so far, giving away 42 runs from their four overs combined.

India bring back Shankar and he strikes with the wicket of Short, who mistimes the shot and is caught in the covers after scoring 40 from 28 balls.

Shankar then bowls a poor delivery down the leg side as Maxwell glances it fine for a four and then swings the last ball over midwicket for a six to get 13 from the over despite the wicket.

21:40 Short, Maxwell keep Australia in the hunt

Aus 87-2 (10 ovs) vs India 190-4 | Scorecard

Shankar is back as India aim to finish off his spell early in the innings. Short flicks the first ball through midwicket as Chahal does well to stop it at deep midwicket and keep it down to one.

Shankar drops short as Maxwell pulls it behind square for a four as the right-hander is off to a flying start again.

Shankar bowls a poor delivery, short and down the leg side, as Short pulls it past short fine leg for another four and takes one from the last ball to get 11 from the over as Australia go past the 50-run mark, in the seventh over.

Spin introduced as leg-spinner Yuzvendra Chahal comes into the attack. Short takes a single from the first ball before Maxwell hits the next through midwicket for a four followed by a single.

Chahal then bowls a wide down the leg side to Short, who then takes one.

Chahal then bowls another wide, this time to Maxwell, before he clips the next through midwicket for two runs and keeps strike with one from the last ball.

An expensive start by Chahal as he concedes 12 from his first over.

Spin from both ends as Krunal Pandya comes in from the other end. Maxwell turns the second ball on the leg side before Short cuts a short ball past point for a four.

Two singles from the next two balls as the duo raise the 50-run stand for the third wicket from just 29 balls.

Short then lofts the last ball back over the bowler's head for another boundary as 11 come from the over.

Australia are not letting the spinners settle, adopting an aggressive approach to get 23 runs from the first two overs by Chahal and Krunal.

Short, on 36, gets a lifeline as Pant puts down an easy catch at point diving forward. Maxwell plays the inside out lofted shot to a full delivery for a six and then gets one on the off-side.

Short tries to loft Chahal down the ground but fails to make proper connection for just one to long-off and Maxwell picks a single from the last ball.

Australia are on course as they reach 87 for two in 10 overs, needing another 104 runs from the remaining 10 overs for victory.

Short has batted well to score 38 from 25 balls, while Maxwell has smashed his way to 32 from 17 balls.

21:23 Short, Maxwell rally Australia

Aus 42-2 (6 ovs) vs India 190-4 | Scorecard

Following the wicket, India bring in part-timer Shankar back into the attack as he replaces Bumrah.

Short takes a single off the third ball before Finch clips the next behind square for a four.

Finch keen to take the attack to part-timer Shankar but ends up mishitting it and is caught on the off-side for eight.

Just five runs from the over as Shankar is playing a good hand with the ball, taking one for 14 in his two overs.

Bumrah comes back into the attack. Short plays two dot balls in a row before he takes a single and new batsman Glenn Maxwell takes one to get off the mark.

A single to Short on the leg side before Maxwell top edges the pull for a six behind the wicketkeeper.

Kaul comes back into the attack. He makes the mistake of giving Short some width as he drives it through the covers for a four followed by two singles.

The last ball is again full and wide and Short plays another good drive through the covers for another four as Australia reach 42 for two in six overs.

21:08 Aus lose early wicket after India post 190

Aus 17-1 (3 ovs) vs India 190-4 | Scorecard

India make a surprise move as all-rounder Vijay Shankar opens the bowling. The first ball is a wide full delivery as D'Arcy Short drives it through the covers for a four to start off in confident fashion.

The left-hander picks a single before Marcus Stoinis pulls a short ball through midwicket for a four to get off the mark.

Jasprit Bumrah from the other end. Stoinis drives the second ball through the covers for two runs before he is nearly foxed by the slower ball which he drags on the leg side and keeps strike with one from the last ball as just four come from the over.

The pressure created by Bumrah pays off for Siddharth Kaul. Stoinis plays all over a length ball which comes in as he misses it completely and is bowled for seven.

Aaron Finch cuts a short ball on the bounce as Rahul at point half stops it to give away just two runs.

He then lets the next ball go through his legs for another couple as Australia reach 17 for one in three overs.

20:52 Kohli slams 38-ball 72 to power India to 190

India 190-4 (20 ovs) vs Aus | Scorecard

Captain Virat Kohli stroked a quickfire half-century to power India to a healthy 190 for four in the second T20 International against Australia in Bengaluru.

Kohli smashed an unbeaten 72 from 38 balls, hitting two fours and six sixes, to rally India after a few quick wickets.

He put on a 100-run stand for the fourth wicket from just 50 balls with Dhoni, who stroked 40 from 23 balls, to put India in charge.

KL Rahul had rallied India after an early wicket as he smashed 47 from 26 balls to rally the hosts after the early dismissal of Shikhar Dhawan (14).

Earlier, Australia won the toss and elected to bowl first against India in the second and final Twenty20 International.

India made three changes to their team, replacing Rohit Sharma, Mayank Markande and Umesh Yadav with Shikhar Dhawan, Vijay Shankar and Siddharth Kaul.

Australia, on the other hand, fielded an unchanged team.

20:45 Kohli's 38-ball 72 powers India to 190

India 190-4 (20 ovs) vs Aus | Scorecard

Australia take a gamble as part-time spinner Short is called back, to bowl the 18th over.

Dhoni needs no second invitation as he clubs the second ball over long-on for a six. He then swings the fifth ball high over midwicket for another six before cutting the last ball uppishly over point to get 19 runs from the over.

Pacer Richardson is back into the attack. Kohli continues his free flowing approach as he lofts the second ball down the ground for a six followed by two singles.

Kohli then guides a wide delivery past point and comes back quickly for the second before he hits the last ball straight down the ground for another four.

Cummins to bowl the final over. Dhoni looks to whip it over the leg side but ends up miscuing it to Finch at long-on to perish after a good hand of 40 from 23 balls.

New batsman Dinesh Karthik wastes no time in getting going. He clips a full delivery off his pads behind square for a four. Cummins tries the slower bouncer as Karthik waits for it before slashing it over short thirdman for another boundary.

Kohli comes down the track and lofts the last ball over long-off for a six to ends the innings in grand style.

He finishes on a magnificent 72 not out from just 38 balls to power India to a healthy 190 for four in their 20 overs.

20:25 Kohli hits 29-ball fifty to rally India

India 138-3 (17 ovs) vs Aus | Scorecard

Coulter-Nile is back into the attack and he comes under heavy attack at the hands of Kohli.

He picks the third delivery over the midwicket region for a six and then slams the next ball straight down the ground for another six.

Kohli then chips down the track and hits the next delivery over midwicket to make it a hat-trick of sixes.

He keeps strike with a single from the last ball as 22 come from the over.

In the next over, Kohli takes a single to race to his fifty from just 29 balls but Zampa ends his spell, giving away just three singles in his final over, to finish with respectable figures of 23 runs from four overs.

20:18 Kohli, Dhoni rally India

India 113-3 (15 ovs) vs Aus | Scorecard

Dhoni looks to come down the track as Zampa beats him with a wide delivery and the veteran does well to stretch quickly and gets his feet back inside the crease.

He then drives a wide delivery but the fielder in the covers saves it with a dive before Dhoni takes one to long-off to get off the mark.

Zampa bowls slightly wide as Kohli rocks back and cuts it through the vacant thirdman region for a four and then takes one from the last ball.

India look to target part-timer Short as Dhoni attempts the slog sweep and misses but he makes proper connection next ball for a huge six.

Cummins, who has three overs in hand, comes back. Kohli tries the inside out lofted shot but fails to time it properly for two runs to sweeper cover followed by one.

Dhoni hammers a full delivery straight down the ground past mid-off for a four and then takes a single to fine leg.

Richardson comes into the attack from the other end. Dhoni slashes a wide delivery behind point for a four and Kohli hits the fourth ball for a six over mid-off followed by a couple as 14 comes from the over.

19:59 Pant fails with the bat; India 3 down

India 74-3 (11 ovs) vs Aus | Scorecard

Part-time spinner D'Arcy Short comes into the attack. Rishabh Pant hasn't spent much time at the wicket and he decides to chance his arm and release some of the pressure.

He looks to target the straight boundary but fails to make proper connection as Richardson takes a superb diving catch at long-off to send back Pant for one from six balls.

Australia built the pressure on Pant with three dot balls in a row and the youngster failed to deliver.

An excellent over from Short, conceding just a single, while picking up a wicket.

19:55 Dhawan out for 14; India lose 2nd wicket

India 73-2 (10 ovs) vs Aus | Scorecard

Zampa bowls another tidy over, giving away just five runs as Australia look to pull back things after the dismissal of Rahul.

Behrendorff comes back into the attack and picks up the wicket of Dhawan for 14. The left-hander threw his bat at a wide delivery but failed to make proper connection as Marcus Stoinis charged in from sweeper cover and took a good low catch inches from the ground.

Just three singles and the wicket in the over as India reach 73 for two in 10 overs, with just 12 coming from the last three.

19:40 Rahul out for 47; India lose 1st wicket

India 65-1 (8 ovs) vs Aus | Scorecard

Leg-spinner Adam Zampa comes into the attack. Dhawan gets a single from the first ball before Rahul nudges the next fine on the leg side for a four followed by three more singles.

Coulter-Nile makes the breakthrough with the wicket of the dangerous Rahul. The right-hander tries to ramp a short wide delivery but hits it straight into the hands of Richardson on the thirdman fence.

That was the slower bouncer which did the trick for Coulter-Nile as Rahul ended up miscuing the shot. The opener walks back after a quickfire 47 from 26 balls, hitting four sixes and three fours.

Captain Virat Kohli gets a thick outside edge for a single to thirdman to get off the mark followed by three more singles.

19:30 Rahul, Dhawan give India a flying start

India 53-0 (6 ovs) vs Aus | Scorecard

Nathan-Coulter Nile comes into the attack after just one over from Richardson. Dhawan looks to swing it on the leg side but misses and hit on the body.

Coulter-Nile then bowls two wides in a row before Dhawan takes a single.

Coulter-Nile drops short and down the leg side as Rahul pulls it over the short fine leg fielder for a four and keeps strike with one from the last ball.

Change of ends for Richardson. Rahul cuts loose as he pulls a short ball from the pacer over the fine leg region for a six. The next ball is full and wide as Rahul slams it over the off-side for another six and keeps strike with one from the last ball.

Pat Cummins comes into the attack. A single each to Rahul and Dhawan before the former flicks a full delivery over midwicket for a six.

Cummins drops short as Rahul pulls the next ball over the square leg fence for another six, his fourth from the last six balls faced.

India race past the 50-run mark in six overs with Rahul smashing his way to 41 from 21 balls and Dhawan one nine.

19:12 India off to a steady start vs Australia

India 16-0 (3 ovs) vs Aus | Scorecard

KL Rahul will open the batting with Shikhar Dhawan, who is back in the team after being rested for the opening match.

Left-arm pacer Jason Behrendorff opens the bowling for Australia. Rahul taps the first ball on the off-side for a single to get off the mark and Dhawan picks a leg bye two balls later as he tries to flick it square but misses and hit on the pads.

Rahul defends the next ball before he takes one to fine leg as three come from the first over.

Jhye Richardson to bowl from the other end. Rahul offers no shot to the first ball before he blocks the next. The pacer then drifts on the pads as Rahul clips it square for one before Dhawan plays out the rest of the over.

Just four runs from the first two overs before Rahul breaks the shackles as he cracks a wide delivery from Behrendorff through the covers for a four.

A single to Rahul before Dhawan comes down the track and uppishly clips the pacer behind square for another four.

Three singles from the last three deliveries as India reach 16 for no loss in three overs.

18:36 Aus elect to bowl; Rohit rested, Dhawan back

Australia captain Aaron Finch has won the toss and elected to bowl against India in the second T20 International in Bengaluru.

"We would have bowled first as well, looks like a nice wicket," says India captain Virat Kohli.

India have made as many as three changes with Rohit Sharma rested as Shikhar Dhawan comes back into the team.

Umesh Yadav and Mayank Markande are also benched as they make way for Siddharth Kaul and Vijay Shankar.

Meanwhile, Australia, who won the first match, have fielded the same playing eleven.

Welcome to the coverage of the second and final T20 International between India and Australia in Bengaluru on Wednesday.

The focus remains firmly on the World Cup but India would also be desperate to ensure that a home series does not slip out of their grip when they take on Australia in the second and final T20 International, in Bengaluru, on Wednesday.

India are 0-1 down after an inexplicably poor batting performance led to a three-wicket loss in the lung-opener in Visakhapatnam.

The below-par 126 with the bat on Sunday denied bowlers a decent shot at securing a win even though the Jasprit Bumrah-led attack did all it could to keep the home team in the game till the final over of the match.

India rested opener Shikhar Dhawan to give game time to Rahul, who grabbed the opportunity with both hands by smashing 50 off 36 balls in his comeback game.

With the series on the line, it remains to be seen if Dhawan is brought back into the side to open alongside Rohit Sharma or the team retains the opening combination which featured in Vizag.

While Bumrah showed his class after coming back from a break, the other pacer in Umesh Yadav leaked runs and was not able to defend 14 in the final over.

India could replace Umesh with Siddharth Kaul or bring in all-rounder Vijay Shankar to beef-up the batting department.

The hosts played with a long tail in Vizag and that impacted their final total following an inexplicable batting collapse from 69 for one in the ninth over.

Pant, a strong contender for a World Cup berth, will be itching to perform after getting out cheaply on Sunday, and so will be Dinesh Karthik, who is left with just one game to make a compelling contribution before the World Cup.

All eyes will once again also be on Mahendra Singh Dhoni the batsman who struggled to an unbeaten 29 off 37 balls as India managed 126 for seven in Vizag.

He was able to silence his critics with a solid showing in Australia and New Zealand but his rather slow innings on Sunday has got the tongues wagging again over his waning finishing abilities.

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