Hobart, Australia - In a crucial encounter at the Bellerive Oval, India and Australia faced off in the third T20 International of the ongoing five-match series. Australia currently leads the series 1-0. After a defeat in the second T20I at the MCG, India is looking to make a comeback.
India won the toss and elected to bowl first, looking to capitalize on the conditions. The pitch in Hobart is expected to offer some early swing, which could favor fast bowlers. However, the shorter boundaries of the Bellerive Oval also promise opportunities for batsmen once they settle in.
The Indian squad will be eager to level the series. India's batting has been a concern recently, with key players like Suryakumar Yadav, Sanju Samson, and Shubman Gill not performing to expectations. In the previous match, Abhishek Sharma scored 68, but the rest of the team struggled, resulting in a total of only 125.
Australia will be without Josh Hazlewood, who has been a key player in the recent ODI series and the first two T20Is. Hazlewood is preparing for the upcoming Ashes series. His absence may provide an opportunity for the Indian batters to regain their form. Sean Abbott is likely to replace Hazlewood in the Australian lineup. Glen Maxwell is expected to return to the Australian side after recovering from a wrist injury.
The absence of Hazlewood could shift the momentum in India's favor. India may consider including Washington Sundar in the XI to strengthen the batting lineup. Arshdeep Singh, despite his T20 credentials, has been surprisingly left out.
In the early stages of the match, Australia reached 43/2 at the end of the Powerplay. Jasprit Bumrah bowled tightly, maintaining a low run rate. Varun Chakravarthy took two quick wickets, dismissing Mitchell Marsh and Owen. Tim David launched a counter-attack, hitting Varun Chakravarthy for a six. At the halfway point of the innings, Australia was at 98/4 in 11.1 overs.
Jasprit Bumrah is close to reaching a milestone of 100 T20I wickets, needing just two more to achieve the mark. Arshdeep Singh is the only Indian bowler to have surpassed this mark with 101 wickets.
India has a positive head-to-head record against Australia in T20Is, with 20 wins and 12 losses. The match is being broadcast live on the Star Sports Network and streamed on Disney+ Hotstar and JioCinema.
