Short, Zampa Star as Australia Hold Nerve to Beat India in 2nd ODI

Australia defeated India in the 2nd ODI by 2 wickets. Australia chased down the target of 264 runs in the 47th over, with Cooper Connolly hitting the winning runs. With this victory, Australia also clinched the series with an unassailable lead of 2-0. They will now go to Sydney to play the last match of the series, which could feature some new names in the Playing XI.

The superstar of the Indian cricket team, Virat Kohli, once again got out on a duck in the 2nd ODI. His dismissal frustrated many fans, as they were expecting Kohli to lead the innings with a big knock. Similarly, Shubman Gill also failed to make a mark as a new ODI captain. His poor form in the series continued, leaving India with a lot of serious questions to answer.

On the other hand, Rohit Sharma showcased his signature batting style during the 2nd ODI. He took down the Australian bowlers positively, giving India a solid base at one end. He didn’t receive much support from Gill and Kohli, which is why the scoring rate of India was a little low from the start.

However, the arrival of Shreyas Iyer steadied things for India. He made sure to play cautiously so that India would not lose more wickets. He built a strong partnership with Rohit Sharma that helped India come out of a phase of panic.

Rohit Sharma then lost his wicket in the 30th over while trying to take on Mitchell Starc. He got out after making a solid 73 runs by smashing 7 fours and 2 sixes. Soon after that, Shreyas Iyer also went back to the pavilion after making a valuable 61 runs off 77 balls.

The fall of these batters halted the charge of the Indian team, as Australia started to exert more pressure on the visitors. Axar Patel’s innings gave some momentum to India, but he also got out after making 44 runs.

Some late push by Harshit Rana and Arshdeep Singh gave India an opportunity to fight back. Due to this, they managed to score 264 runs at the end of the 1st innings.

When Australia came out to bat, they started the innings cautiously. The duo of Mitchell Marsh and Travis Head played shots smartly, as Indian bowlers kept things tight at the start. Arshdeep Singh eventually removed the Australian captain when he was on 11, while Harshit Rana sent back Travis Head for 28.

The dismissal of these batters brought Matthew Short to the crease, who is currently enjoying a stellar form. He played with high intensity by smashing the Indian bowling attack aggressively. His innings of 74 runs allowed Australia to regain the momentum that they had lost earlier.

The dismissal of Short in the 36th over made things tough for Australia. His wicket allowed India to come back into the game, and they made the most of the opportunity. The game started to become tense, but then Mitchell Owen spoiled India’s plans by hitting boundaries aggressively.

While Owen was playing freely, Cooper Connolly at the other end was rotating the scoreboard smartly. He eventually started hitting at the end when India removed the Australian lower order. It was due to his superb innings of 61 runs that Australia chased the total in the 47th over. With this victory, they also secured the series by taking an unassailable 2-0 lead over India. Both teams will now face each other in the 3rd ODI that will be played in Sydney on October 25.