India leads T20 series 2-1 after Australia crashes against spin

GOLD COAST, Australia (AP) — Washington Sundar took three wickets in five deliveries as India beat Australia by 48 runs in the fourth Twenty20 on Thursday.

India spinners claimed six wickets in all to usher an Australia collapse from 91-4 in 11.3 overs to 119 all out in 18.2 overs in pursuit of 168.

Australia lost its last seven wickets for 28 runs across 41 deliveries and out for its second lowest T20 total on home soil after 111 versus New Zealand in Sydney in 2022.

India has an unbeatable 2-1 lead in the series which ends on Saturday in Brisbane.

Sundar took 3-3 from 1.2 overs, left-arm spinner Axar Patel grabbed 2-20 in four overs, and Varun Chakravarthy picked 1-26.

Patel’s wickets and cameo of 21 not out off 11 balls, which helped to push India’s past 150, earned him the player of the match award.

“I got a chance to bat at No. 7 and it helped me understand the wicket,” Patel said. “The ball was not coming on and there was unexpected bounce. I tried bowling wicket to wicket. If I have an impact for my team it’s the best game for me.”

Shubman Gill scored 46 off 39 balls as India put up 167-8 after being sent in.

Wrist spinner Adam Zampa took 3-45 in four overs.

Chasing 168, Australia made a decent start between skipper Mitchell Marsh, who top-scored with 30 off 24 balls, and Matthew Short, opening in place of Travis Head.

Short scored 25 off 19 balls with two fours and two sixes.

But Patel trapped Short lbw and bowled Josh Inglis on 12. Then Shivam Dube dismissed Marsh in the 10th over and Tim David on 14 two overs later at 91-4.

Australia tried hard to stay in the contest but the spinners took over.

Chakravarthy bowled Glenn Maxwell for a sixth time then Sundar trapped Marcus Stoinis lbw and dismissed Xavier Bartlett next ball. Nathan Ellis survived the hat trick ball in the 17th over.

Earlier, Gill and Abhishek Sharma gave India a flying start with 56 off 40 balls for the first wicket.

Sharma’s 21-ball 28 included three fours and a six.

Dube was sent up the order and added 22 off 18. Skipper Suryakumar Yadav chipped in 20 off 10. Gill stitched vital partnerships with both of them.

After Gill and Yadav departed, India was 125-4 in 15.1 overs and the middle order couldn’t hit hard, especially against Zampa. Nathan Ellis supported him with 3-21.

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AP cricket: https://apnews.com/hub/cricket