India’s spinner Axar Patel took three wickets to seal a IT20 series win after beating Australia by 20-runs in the fourth match in Nagpur.
India’s openers Yashasvi Jaiswal and Ruturaj Gaikwad racked up a partnership worth 50 runs off 36 balls
Middle-order batter Rinku Singh (46) top scored for India before he was trapped lbw by a yorker from Jason Behrendorff (2-32) as they finished their innings on 174-9.
Australia struggled against India’s spinners in reply with Patel (3-16) and Deepak Chahar (2-44) leading the attack and restricting the tourists to 154-7.
Captain Matthew Wade (36no) helped steady the ship after Australia fell to 52-3 by the seventh over, but with the middle order failing to gain momentum, they were left needing 40 runs from 12 balls by the 18th over.
The win saw India’s Suryakumar Yadav take his first series win as captain giving his side plenty of confidence before their series against South Africa, starting on December 10.
Australia’s fast bowler Ben Dwarshuis (3-40), who was playing in his second IT20, looked dangerous as he had skipper Yadav (one) caught behind leaving the hosts 63-3.
Behrendorff (2-32) helped restrict India’s total to below 200 after removing Singh with a yorker followed by a slower ball that had Chahar caught at long-on in the 20th over.
Ravi Bishnoi (four) was run out on the final ball of India’s innings after he tried to scamper back for a second run but was caught short at the striker’s end despite a full-length dive.
Australia got off to a terrific start with Travis Head smashing 31 off 16 balls, following suit from Glenn Maxwell’s impressive cameo on Tuesday which saw them win the third T20.
However, India’s spinners bowled Josh Philippe (eight) and Aaron Hardie (eight) early on. Chahar had Tim David (19) and Matt Short (22) both caught at deep midwicket before Dwarshuis (one) was bowled by Avesh Khan (1-33).
India go 3-1 up in the series with the final match being played in Hyderabad on Sunday.
