T20 World Cup 2022: Who won the IND vs AUS T20 WC warm-up match?

India beat Australia by six runs in an exciting T20 World Cup 2022 warm-up match in Brisbane on Monday, October 17. Sent in to bat after losing the toss, the Men in Blue put up a competitive 186/7 as KL Rahul and Suryakumar Yadav hit impressive fifties.

Skipper Aaron Finch (76 off 54) led from the front in Australia’s chase. However, he could not take his team over the line. Bhuvneshwar Kumar claimed two key wickets, while Mohammed Shami picked up three wickets in an eventful last over as India sneaked home in incredible fashion, bowling Australia out for 180.

With three overs remaining, Australia needed 29 with seven wickets in hand. Arshdeep Singh kept India in the game by having the big-hitting Marcus Stoinis (seven) caught at deep midwicket. Finch and Tim David, however, squeezed out a six and four in the same over to neutralize the impact of the dismissal.

Harshal Patel, who was expensive once again, redeemed himself by cleaning up Finch with a terrific slower ball that the Aussie skipper failed to pick. Virat Kohli then ran out David (five) with a brilliant direct hit from midwicket.

With Australia needing 11 to win, Shami was given the responsibility of bowling the last over. Pat Cummins managed two runs each off the first two balls, but the brilliance of Kohli the fielder was again on display as he took a superb one-handed catch at long-on.

Ashton Agar (0) was run out on the next ball, trying to sneak a bye. Shami then cleaned up Josh Inglis (one) and Kane Richardson (0) with yorkers off consecutive deliveries to bowl India to a thrilling win. Shami ended with exceptional bowling figures of 3/4.

Chasing 187, Australia got off to a flying start, racing to 64/1 in the powerplay. Mitchell Marsh, who opened the batting with Finch, took on Hardik Pandya in the third over and clubbed him for two fours and a six. Finch himself got into the groove with a couple of big hits off Harshal.

Marsh began the last over of the powerplay by pulling Bhuvneshwar for four and six. There was some relief for India as Marsh (35 off 18) was dismissed in the same over. He chopped a length ball that shaped a bit back onto his stumps. India pulled things back to an extent before Finch and Steve Smith whacked Harshal for a six each in the 10th over. Australia were 94/1 at the halfway stage.

Smith (11), however, fell immediately after the drinks break, cleaned up by Yuzvendra Chahal. He made room to go inside out, but was beaten by the length. Chahal could have had Glenn Maxwell in the same over, but Dinesh Karthik could not hold on to a catch behind the stumps. Maxwell made India pay for the let-off, thumping the leggie for three fours in his next over.

Aussie skipper Finch brought up a confidence-boosting fifty by guiding Arshdeep Singh for a boundary. Chahal had another chance to dismiss Maxwell in the 15th over, but dropped a caught and bowled.

Eventually, it was Bhuvneshwar who got rid of the Big Show for 23. Maxwell attempted to slog the pacer over long-on, but only managed a nick to the keeper. Shami and Kohli then combined to complete India's turnaround.

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Rahul, Suryakumar fifties lift India to 186/7

Rahul (57 off 33) and Suryakumar (50 off 33) scored impressive half-centuries as India posted a competitive 186/7 after being sent into bat. For Australia, Richardson was the most successful bowler with figures of 4/30.

Rahul looked in ominous touch from the start of his innings. In the third over, he pulled Cummins for a six and a four. When Stoinis was introduced in the next over, the Indian opener enjoyed his gentle pace and clobbered him for three fours and a six.

The carnage continued as Rahul raced to a 27-ball fifty. Rohit Sharma, who hardly got any strike in the initial overs, ended the powerplay on a high, slapping Maxwell for a six and a four.

The opening partnership of 78 was broken when Rahul pulled Maxwell and was caught at deep midwicket. Rohit (15) perished soon after, miscuing a sweep off Agar. Kohli (19) looked good during his brief stay at the crease, but was bounced out by Mitchell Starc as he top-edged a pull to fine leg.

Hardik Pandya (two) fell cheaply as he ramped a short ball from Richardson to short third man. Suryakumar continued his good form and found support briefly from Karthik. The keeper-batter made a quick-fire 20 before he holed out to deep midwicket.

Suryakumar smacked Cummins for a four and a six in the 18th over to ease into the 40s. The right-handed batter reached a 32-ball fifty by lofting Richardson over cover. He was dismissed off a full-toss on the next ball, lobbing an easy catch to the bowler.

Ravichandran Ashwin then came in and whacked a six before being dismissed off the last ball, looking for another big one. The maximum was a telling blow as it was also the margin of India's win.