Pacer Josh Hazlewood delivered a devastating spell to dismantle India’s batting lineup. This set up a comfortable four-wicket victory for Australia in the second T20I at the Melbourne Cricket Ground on Friday.
In front of a crowd of over 82,000, India suffered a dramatic collapse. They were bowled out for 125 in 18.4 overs. Only opener Abhishek Sharma provided meaningful resistance with a combative 68 from 37 balls. Nine other Indian batters failed to reach double figures.
The match was effectively decided within the power play by Hazlewood’s impeccable bowling. The right-arm quick finished with remarkable figures of 3 for 13 from his four overs, including 15 dot balls.
His probing line and length, consistently in the 6-8 meter region, exploited the extra bounce in the pitch. This left the famed Indian top-order in disarray. He removed key batsmen Shubman Gill, Suryakumar Yadav, and Tilak Varma in quick succession, reducing India to 49 for 5.
Australia win the second T20I by 4 wickets.#TeamIndia will look to bounce back in the next match.
Scorecard ▶ https://t.co/7LOFHGtfXe#AUSvIND pic.twitter.com/rVsd9Md9qh
— BCCI (@BCCI) October 31, 2025In reply, Australian captain Mitchell Marsh led from the front with a powerful 46 from just 26 balls. The hosts chased down the modest target of 126 in only 13.2 overs. They lost six wickets primarily due to aggressive shot-making.
The Indian bowling attack had few positives. Jasprit Bumrah and Varun Chakravarthy took two wickets each, but the total was never enough to defend.
The sole positive for the visiting team was Abhishek Sharma’s brilliant innings. On his debut at the MCG, the opener showcased why he is considered one of the world’s premier T20 batters. He raced to a 23-ball half-century with eight fours and two sixes.
His knock, however, was an isolated effort on a day dominated by Australian bowlers. The comprehensive defeat presents the Indian team management with several areas to address, with three matches remaining in the series.
