India overtake Pakistan to clinch sensational T20I record after 20-run win over Australia
The win helped India take an unassailable 3-1 lead in the five-match series, which was also their 14th T20I series win at home
After a series of underwhelming performances, Team India all-rounder Axar Patel produced his A game and helped his side dash Australia by 20 runs in the fourth T20I in Raipur on Friday. The win helped India take an unassailable 3-1 lead in the five-match series, which was also their 14th T20I series win at home. Additionally the team also scripted a new record of winning the most T20Is, overtaking neighbours Pakistan in the process. The outcome helped India register their 136th T20I win, while Pakistan have 135 wins under their name. They are followed New Zealand (102), Australia (95) and South Africa (95).
The proceedings in Raipur kicked-off with Matthew Wade winning the toss and inviting India to bat. India got off to a decent start as the opening pair of Yashasvi Jaiswal and Ruturaj Gaikwad added 50 runs for the first wicket before Aaron Hardie dismissed the former for 37(28).
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Australia then made two quick inroads in the eighth and ninth over as Shreyas Iyer and Suryakumar Yadav fell for single digit scores. An explosive 29-ball 46 by Rinku Singh and equally commendable performance by Jitesh Sharma guided India to a respectable 174/9 in 20 overs. Sharma smashed 35 in 19 balls, which featured one boundary and three maximums.
Australia in response got off to a strong start before Ravi Bishnoi crashed the party. He got rid of Josh Philippe for 8(7), helping India make a comeback after the pair of Travis Head and Philippe added 40 runs in just three overs. Axar Patel then joined the proceedings and removed the big fish Travis Head, following which he injected double blow Ben McDermott and Aaron Hardie.
Axar conceded just 16 runs in his full quota of overs and returned with three scalps, which helped India restrict Australia at 154/7 in 20 overs. Axar received great support from Ravi Bishnoi, who picked one wicket and gave just 17 runs in his four overs.
With the series in bag, India will now meet Australia in the final T20I in Bengaluru on Sunday. This will be the side's final match at home before it embarks on a tour of South Africa, where India are scheduled to take part in three ODIs, as many T20Is, and two Tests.
