Barely 24 hours after the Indian women scripted a record-breaking chase in the ICC Women’s ODI World Cup, the focus shifted to the men’s team at the Melbourne Cricket Ground. But while the women soared to new heights, the men’s outing told a very different story.
Australia captain Mitchell Marsh won the toss and opted to field, while Suryakumar Yadav was equally pleased to bat first. Both skippers got what they wanted, but it was Marsh’s decision that paid off spectacularly.
Josh Hazlewood, calm and relentless, dismantled India’s top order with one of his finest powerplay spells in recent memory. In three overs, he conceded just six runs and removed Shubman Gill (5), Suryakumar (1), and Tilak Varma (0). Nathan Ellis joined the assault, dismissing Sanju Samson (2), leaving India reeling at 40 for 4 inside the first six overs.
Amid the collapse, Abhishek Sharma provided the lone resistance. The left-hander counterattacked with flair, smashing a 23-ball half-century that briefly revived Indian hopes. Promoted up the order, Harshit Rana played a steady hand for 35, and the pair added a fighting 50-run stand off 46 balls.
But as the innings wore on, India’s momentum fizzled. Poor strike rotation kept Sharma stranded at the non-striker’s end for long spells, he faced just 37 of the 111 balls India played. The innings eventually folded for 125 in the 19th over, well below par on a true MCG surface.
In reply, Australia made their intentions clear from the start. Travis Head blazed away to 28 off 15 before Tilak Varma’s sharp boundary catch ended his stay. That brought Marsh to the forefront, and the Australian skipper continued his golden run with a blistering 46 off 26 balls, punishing every loose delivery.
India struck a few late blows, but the damage had long been done. With the chase well under control, Australia cruised home with 41 balls to spare, sealing a commanding four-wicket victory and a 1–0 lead in the five-match series.
Hazlewood’s powerplay brilliance earned him the Player of the Match award, a spell that set the tone for the contest and left India chasing shadows from the start.
The defeat also ended two impressive runs: Shivam Dube’s 37-match unbeaten streak in T20Is since December 2019, and Jasprit Bumrah’s 24-match streak dating back to October 2021. It marked India’s second-biggest T20I loss in terms of balls remaining.
After the euphoria of the women’s triumph yesterday, the men’s result served as a reminder of cricket’s fine margins, where confidence can soar one day and crumble the next.
Scorecard:
India: 125/10, Overs 18.4, Abhishek Sharma 68, Josh Hazlewood 3/12
Australia: 126-6, Overs 13.2, Mitchell Marsh 46, Varun Chakaravarthy 2/23
