all in vain India loses 2nd ODI in Sydney

Visiting Indian cricket team has already lost the ODI series with a comprehensive loss in the 2nd ODI when Australia’s stalwart and former captain Steve Smith scored another century and the team put up a mighty 390 for India to chase. Australia beat India by 51 for the second time in three days at the Sydney Cricket Ground on Sunday.

Needing 390 runs to win, India with Shikhar Dhawan and Mayank Agarwal got to a solid start. The pair put up a 58-run stand but departed in quick succession. Josh Hazlewood dismissed Dhawan for 30 in the eighth over and Pat Cummins had Agarwal caught behind the wickets in the ninth over.

After that – the game was almost lost though others including Kohli kept hopes alive in some way. Kohli and Iyer and then Kohli and Rahul played in a way which seemd ticking but not quite the way India need to win the game.

In the 23rd over, Kohli and Iyer took India past 150 and Kohli brought up his 59th ODI fifty. But soon Iyer was sent back when Smith took a stunning catch off Moises Henriques’ bowling.

Kohli was then joined by his deputy (KL) Rahul in the middle. They completed a fifty-run stand in the 32nd over and in that process, took India past the 200-run mark.

But Hazelwood struck and got the prized wicket of the Indian skipper. Kohli left at 89.

KL Rahul scored 76 and once he was gone, it became difficult for India to win.

Also read: Aussies deal India a crushing defeat in the first Sydney ODI

Although Ravindra Jadeja hit a couple of sixes, it was of no consequence as he and Hardik got out in the 47th over and Australia registered a 51-run win to win the three-match ODI series.

On the Australian side, in addition to Steve Smith’s century, David Warner, Aaron Finch, Marnus Labuschagne and Glenn Maxwell all scored fifties as Australia posted 389/4 on the board after electing to bat.

When Warner and Finch started playing, it seemed as is they had begun from where they had left in the first game. They completed their second hundred-run stand in a row in the 16th over before.

Indian bowlers struggled for the first 22 overs and had their first wicket only in the 23rd over. Hardik Pandya was asked to bowl and against the wishes of the BCCI (they wanted him to bowl no more than 2 overs), Kohli used him for 4. It was Hardik who managed to get the most prized Australian wicket – that of Steve Smith.

Now the Indians head to Canberra for their 3rd and final game of the 3 match ODI series.

Scores:
Australia 389/4 (Steve Smith 104, David Warner 83; Hardik Pandya 1/24)
India 338/9 (Virat Kohli 89, KL Rahul 76; Pat Cummins 3/67)
Australia beat by 51 runs in the 2nd ODI.

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