Last Updated on 4 years by Charbel Coorey
5 Memorable Australia vs India T20I Matches | Looking back at the 5 best Australia vs India T20 International matches
International cricket is back with a bang! We will be witnessing aggression up against aggression once again after an interval of ODI matches, as two of the most rival cricketing giants, viz. Australia and India will have a face off in the shortest format of the game.
While Australia will be looking to win the T20I series after the ODIs, India will be aiming to carry the momentum they got by winning the last ODI. There have been 20 T20Is played between these two sides, in which India have an upper hand by a margin of 11-8 so far; and one game ending with no result. In this article, I am going to highlight five most memorable T20Is among those 20 games. Here we go.
Also read: Twitter reactions to Virat Kohli becoming the fastest ever to 12,000 ODI runs
5. Brisbane, India tour of Australia, 2018/19
This was the very first match of a long tour for India in 2018/19, and therefore they were eager to start the tour with a victory. After being asked to bat first in this rain-affected match, Australia put a decent score of 158 runs from the allotted 17 overs and a challenging target of 174 was given to the visitors as per the D/L method.
Shikhar Dhawan was the best player from the Indian team as he scored 76 runs off 42 balls, while the likes of Rohit, Virat and Rahul disappointed. The game seemed to be turned into India’s favour when Dinesh Karthik went to bat at no 6, after India needed a tough 69 runs from 32 balls. He played a brilliant cameo and took the game deep along with Rishabh Pant. India needed 13 to win in the final over and surprisingly Aaron Finch handed the ball to Marcus Stoinis instead of Billy Stanlake. That tactic proved to be a masterstroke as Stoinis dismissed both Krunal Pandya and Karthik to restrict India to 169.
This was an absolute thriller of a game and the brilliance of Stoinis with the ball was well appreciated by the cricket fraternity.
4. Sydney, India tour of Australia, 2015/16
India had already taken out this three-match series by winning the first two games at Adelaide and Melbourne. But there is always an eternal happiness associated with a clean sweep, isn’t there? India did just that by winning this last-over thriller at the SCG.
Australia posted a big total of 197 runs after electing to bat first, thanks to a blistering knock of 124 off 71 balls by Shane Watson. India started exceptionally well by scoring 74 runs for the loss of just one wicket in the first six overs. But, the Aussie bowlers created pressure in the middle overs and the chase seemed a bit tricky for the visitors when both the set batsmen, Virat Kohli and Rohit Sharma, were dismissed. Then, the experienced campaigners Yuvraj Singh and Suresh Raina held their nerves and took the game to the last over, in which India needed 17 runs to win.
So, the game could have swung to either side. But, Yuvraj broke the shackles in the first two balls by hitting a four and a six off Andrew Tye, which shifted the game towards the Indian team. Then, Raina sealed the game for India by hitting a four in the last ball. After a demoralizing defeat by a margin of 1-4 in the ODI series, the Indian team bounced back by winning the T20I series by 3-0, which gave a memorable ending to the tour for the Indian fans.
3. Barbados, ICC World T20, 2010
It was the first game for both India and Australia in the Super Eight stage of the 2010 T20 World Cup. The spirit of the Indian team was very high after a thumping victory over a strong South African side. Similarly, the Aussies were also confident after two dominating victories over Pakistan and Bangladesh in the group stage.
This game didn’t turn out to be a really high scoring one; neither was it a thrilling game of cricket as the Aussies won it comfortably. Still, it is remembered by the fans of either side because of some stellar individual performances. David Warner, a new name in the world cricket back then, smashed 72 off just 42 balls with 2 fours and 7 huge sixes and thus played a pivotal role for Australia in posting a competitive total of 184 after being asked to bat first. The way he and his partner Shane Watson attacked the Indian spinners – especially Ravindra Jadeja, was something spectacular.
Then, we all witnessed two high class performances; one from Dirk Nannes and another from Rohit Sharma. The target of 185 was made unachievable by Dirk Nannes as he just ran through the Indian top order by dismissing Vijay, Gambhir and Yuvraj in his spell with the new ball. Rohit turned out to be the lone fighter for India as he hammered all the Aussie bowlers and remained unbeaten at 79 with 4 fours and 6 magnificent sixes. His effortless pulls, lofted shots over extra cover were just mere indications of the enormous potential he had and that knock is still considered as one of his finest batting performances in his T20I career.
2. Mohali, ICC World T20, 2016
This was the last group stage encounter of the second group. Both the teams had won two games each and it was a virtual Quarter Final as New Zealand had already qualified for the Semi Finals by winning all four games in the league stage.
In this crucial encounter, Australia posted a modest total of 160 runs, courtesy of 43 runs from Aaron Finch and 31 from Glenn Maxwell. Although the target was not big, the pressure of a big match seemed to get to the Indian players as India were in spot of a bother having lost three wickets for just 49 runs in 7.4 overs.
But, there was a man called Virat Kohli out there. We all witnessed a King Kohli masterclass that evening. Nicknamed as the “chase master”, Virat played an outstanding innings of 82 runs off just 51 balls which included 9 gorgeous fours and 2 sixes. His gap-fetching ability and running between the wickets were remarkable that day. It is absolutely an art to score rapidly under pressure without losing your wicket and Virat proved to be a Picasso in it. India went on to chase the target with 5 balls to spare and thus qualified for the Semi Final.
1. Durban, ICC World T20, 2007
It was the second Semi Final of the inaugural T20 World Cup and therefore was a must win game for both India and Australia. After opting to bat first on a wicket that was assisting seamers a bit, India started badly by losing both the openers Sehwag and Gambhir within 8 overs at a score of just 41. Then a memorable partnership between Robin Uthappa and Yuvraj Singh took place which played a vital role for India in posting a good total of 188. Yuvraj continued his love affair with the Aussies and played a game changing knock of 70 runs from just 30 balls which included 5 fours and 5 huge sixes. The skipper MS Dhoni also contributed well with the bat as he scored 36 from just 18 balls.
In reply, Australia were marching towards the target and needed just 55 runs from 33 balls with 8 wickets in hand at one stage. But, then came a twist in the game. A superb collective brilliance with the ball shifted the game completely towards the Indian team. Sreesanth dismissed Hayden with a cracking Yorker, Irfan pathan rattled the stumps of Andrew Symonds, Clarke was bowled by a peach of a delivery from Harbhajan and Hussey got caught at deep mid wicket by Yuvraj off Joginder Sharma. Australia couldn’t manage to make a comeback into the game and eventually lost the match by 15 runs. There was so much drama associated with this match and it is well remembered by many as the finest T20 International between these two sides.
So, this is my list of 5 most memorable t20Is ever played between India and Australia. Do any others come to mind? Have your say!
Written by Debashish Sarangi. Follow Debashish on Twitter today.
