Top Order Blazes, India Win 2nd T20

Hosts win by 44 runs after piling up 235/4 on Sunday, taking a 2-0 lead in five-match T20 series vs Australia

- Aditya Chaturvedi

MUMBAI: Riding on another powerful batting display and an outstanding spell by leg-spinner Ravi Bishnoi, India defeated Australia by 44 runs in the second T20I in Thiruvananthapuram on Sunday to take a 2-0 lead in the five-match series.

Like the opening match in Visakhapatnam, more than 400 runs were scored once again, but this time India ensured it wasn't a close contest. Asked to bat first, they posted 235/4 as the top three registered half-centuries. Australia put up a fight through the middle overs but fell well short eventually, finishing on 191/9 in their 20 overs.

Steve Smith and Matthew Short gave the visitors a good start in the chase before Bishnoi stamped his authority on the contest. He cleaned up Short with a googly and followed that up by dismissing last game's centurion Josh Inglis as well. Glenn Maxwell and Smith fell in quick succession thereafter and it seemed India would earn a massive win.

Australia, however, launched a fightback with Marcus Stoinis and Tim David raising an 81-run partnership for the fifth wicket.

They needed 97 runs to win off 40 balls and there was a look of concern on skipper Suryakumar Yadav's face. But once again, Bishnoi provided the breakthrough by getting rid of David. The 23-yearold, who had dropped two catches in the last game and was India's most expensive bowler, showed character to bounce back and finish with figures of 3/32.