Spinner Ravi Bishnoi took 3-32 to bowl India to a 44-run victory over Australia on Sunday, taking a 2-0 lead in the five-match series.
The top three batters had scored half-centuries to propel India to 235-4, their highest score in T20s against Australia.
Opener Yashasvi Jaiswal led the way at Thiruvananthapuram with 53 off 25 balls, while Ruturaj Gaikwad and Ishan Kishan scored 58 and 52, respectively.
India’s Yashasvi Jaiswal gestures towards his team-mates as he scores 50 runs (AP Photo/Aijaz Rahi)
With India put into bat, Jaiswal and Gaikwad made good use of the conditions by adding 77 off 35 balls for the first wicket.
Jaiswal scored 50 off 24, smashing nine fours and two sixes along the way. He was out, caught in the sixth over. His dismissal didn’t bring any respite for Australia as Kishan added 87 with Gaikwad for the second wicket on his way to a 29-ball half-century.
It was his second successive fifty in the series.
Kishan hit three fours and four sixes, while Gaikwad struck three fours and two sixes.
India was well placed at 189-3, before Rinku Singh smacked 31 not out off only nine balls, hitting four fours and two sixes.
In reply, Australia finished on 191-9 in 20 overs. Pacer Prasidh Krishna took 3-41 in four overs.
Marcus Stoinis top-scored for Australia with 45 off 25 balls, but couldn’t take his side anywhere near the target.
Australia’s chase never really took off. Openers Steve Smith and Matthew Short both contributed 19 runs, before Bishnoi got the breakthrough by bowling Short. He then sent back Josh Inglis, the previous game’s centurion was caught for only two.
Another big moment came when Glenn Maxwell holed out off Axar Patel for 12 runs. Prasidh Krishna picked the first of his three wickets to send back Smith, as Australia found itself 58-4 in 7.2 overs.
Stoinis and Tim David (37) added 81 for the fifth wicket before David was out, caught off Bishnoi. An over later, Stoinis was also caught.
Wade hit an undefeated 23-ball 42 and added 36 for the 10th wicket with Tanveer Sangha (two not out).
The third T20 game is on Tuesday at Guwahati.
