2nd T20I , AUS Vs IND 2025 Highlights : Hazlewood and Marsh’s Pioneering Heroics Hit Hard Against India at Melbourne .

2ND T20I , AUSTRALIA  Vs INDIA , MELBOURNE , 2025 HIGHLIGHTS : Hazlewood and Marsh’s Pioneering Heroics Hit Hard Against India at Melbourne .

Josh Hazlewood systematically destroyed India’s celebrated batting lineup with a penetrating bowling performance, effectively sealing the match as Australia cruised to a four-wicket win in the second T20I at Melbourne on Friday. Before a massive gathering of 82,438 spectators, India endured one of their most humiliating collapses with nine batsmen unable to reach double figures in their total of 125 in 18.4 overs. Only Abhishek Sharma, enjoying exceptional form, remained defiant amidst the carnage with a fighting 68 from 37 deliveries. Together with Harshit Rana (35 from 33 balls), he contributed 56 runs to push the score beyond the 100-run threshold after fast bowler Hazlewood (3/13) had reduced them to 49 for 5. Hazlewood and Marsh’s Pioneering Heroics Hit Hard Against India at Melbourne .

TOSS-

Australia won the toss and chose to bowl first.

PLAYING XI-

India :

Abhishek Sharma, Shubman Gill, Suryakumar Yadav(c), Tilak Varma, Sanju Samson(w), Shivam Dube, Axar Patel, Harshit Rana, Kuldeep Yadav, Varun Chakaravarthy, Jasprit Bumrah

Australia :

Mitchell Marsh(c), Travis Head, Josh Inglis(w), Tim David, Matthew Short, Mitchell Owen, Marcus Stoinis, Xavier Bartlett, Nathan Ellis, Matthew Kuhnemann, Josh Hazlewood

INDIA-

Set to bat first, India experienced a devastating top-order meltdown, surrendering four wickets within the powerplay – marking just the 10th occurrence in 256 matches. Hazlewood spearheaded the destruction with a lethal bowling display, delivering Test-match line and length on a surface providing sharp bounce. Abhishek, true to his nature, started aggressively but found himself isolated as wickets crashed around him. He launched his innings with a boundary and maximum off Xavier Bartlett in the first over, while Shubman Gill battled against Hazlewood before perishing attempting to clear mid-off. Elevated to number three, Sanju Samson’s innings ended quickly when Nathan Ellis caught him plumb in front. Despite Abhishek’s continued boundary-hitting, India’s innings kept disintegrating. Josh Inglis, having earlier dropped Suryakumar Yadav, redeemed himself by pouching two catches in Hazlewood’s over – removing the Indian captain and Tilak Varma consecutively – as the tourists concluded a turbulent powerplay at 40 for 4 with Hazlewood completing his spell.

Following a careful reconstruction phase, Axar Patel was dismissed via run-out for a 12-ball 7 while seeking a third run, leaving India struggling at 69 for 5 at the midway point. Abhishek, having faced merely 19 balls, had sprinted to 46. Harshit Rana, elevated in the batting order, offered crucial assistance, locating the boundary regularly as Abhishek reached his 23-ball half-century – his most measured in terms of overs, coming in the 13th over. The partnership accumulated fifty runs to propel India beyond 100 in the 15th over.

The short-pitched delivery strategy kept troubling India throughout their innings. Bartlett struck again by getting Rana (35 from 33 balls) out with a slower bouncer, then sent Shivam Dube packing with a delivery that moved off the seam and rose steeply, forcing an edge to the keeper. India found themselves struggling at 109 for 7 after 16 overs, leaving Abhishek with just 27 balls faced. He managed only one additional delivery in the following over as Kuldeep Yadav became another victim of the short ball – this time from Marcus Stoinis.

Abhishek, however, was operating on a different level. He attacked Bartlett in the 18th over, collecting a boundary and maximum, plus two doubles while keeping the strike for the 19th. His excellent knock ended when Ellis cleverly deceived him – delivering two wide ones before firing in a full, straight delivery that trapped him leg-before. Varun Chakaravarthy’s dismissal via run-out shortly afterward concluded India’s innings with eight deliveries remaining.

AUSTRALIA

Australia began their pursuit cautiously before Travis Head and Mitchell Marsh each found the boundary in the third over against Jasprit Bumrah, who also conceded five extras. Both Head and Marsh cleared the rope once each during Rana’s fourth over, which produced 20 runs. Australia surged beyond 50 within five overs until Head became the opening casualty, pouched at long-off during Chakaravarthy’s spell. Bumrah delivered a tidy sixth over as Australia concluded the powerplay on 56 for 1.

Marsh, who began cautiously with 15 from 15 deliveries in the opening six overs, launched his second maximum by lifting one straight into the advertising boards off Chakaravarthy. During Kuldeep’s opening over, Marsh shifted into top gear, smashing two sixes and two boundaries before perishing while attempting another big shot, falling four runs shy of his half-century. Tim David and India engaged in psychological warfare during the ninth over – Tilak was positioned at short-leg, David stepped away once, and Chakaravarthy approached to deliver but pulled out of his action. David eventually departed caught and bowled in that same over. Inglis swept a reverse boundary off Kuldeep in the 10th over as Australia crossed the three-figure mark, with Harshit dropping Mitchell Owen’s chance in the identical over.

India wasted their review when Chakaravarthy and Samson persuaded Suryakumar to challenge the decision after the bowler hit Owen on his rear thigh. They redeemed themselves with the next decision as Kuldeep dismissed Inglis lbw for 20, though Owen launched a massive six over deep midwicket to edge Australia nearer. With Australia requiring just two more runs, Bumrah had Owen caught behind and clean bowled Matthew Short in the 13th over. Stoinis sealed victory with a brace off Kuldeep as Australia completed the chase in the 14th over.

Brief scores:

India 125 in 18.4 overs (Abhishek Sharma 68, Harshit Rana 35; Josh Hazlewood 3-13, Nathan Ellis 2-21) lost to Australia 126/6 in 13.2 overs (Mitchell Marsh 46, Travis Head 28; Varun Chakaravarthy 2-23, Jasprit Bumrah 2-26) by 4 wickets.