On December 1, in a thrilling encounter at the Shaheed Veer Narayan Singh International Cricket Stadium in Raipur, India secured a series victory over Australia in the fourth T20I, solidifying their dominance with a 3-1 lead in the five-match series. The triumph held special significance for India, coming on the heels of their recent setback in the ODI World Cup final against the same opponent.
Australian wicketkeeper-batsman Matthew Wade won the toss and elected to bowl first, taking into consideration the expected dew factor later in the game. Despite this decision, India managed to set a challenging target of 175 runs, concluding their innings at 174/9. The Indian batting lineup demonstrated resilience and power, with Yashasvi Jaiswal and Ruturaj Gaikwad notably establishing a solid 50-run opening partnership. Rinku Singh played a pivotal role, contributing a brisk 46 off 29 balls before succumbing in the final over.
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Although India's middle order faced a momentary collapse, the team recovered admirably to post a competitive total. Australian bowlers Ben Dwarshuis and Jason Behrendorff played crucial roles, each taking two wickets in the closing overs to curtail India's scoring.
In response, Australia was restricted to 154/7, falling short by 20 runs. India's bowling attack, led by Axar Patel, claimed three vital wickets, placing Australia under constant pressure. The Indian bowlers ensured that the Australian batsmen struggled to form the partnerships necessary to chase down the target.
This victory held additional significance for India as it propelled them past Pakistan on the all-time T20I wins list. With this win, India achieved their 136th victory in the shortest format from 213 matches, surpassing Pakistan's 135 wins from 226 matches. Furthermore, the triumph marked India's 14th consecutive series win at home in T20Is.
The Indian team's stellar performance in both batting and bowling departments underscored their prowess in T20 cricket, leaving fans and cricket enthusiasts eager to witness their future endeavours on the international stage.
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