Australia v India second T20I result – Josh Hazelwood inspires Australia to comfortable win at MCG despite Abhishek Sharma and Jasprit Bumrah defiance
By Tom Bennett
Updated 31/10/2025 at 12:10 GMT
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Josh Hazlewood starred against India as Australia won the second T20 International of a five-match series in Melbourne, despite a defiant innings from Abhishek Sharma. With a T20 World Cup coming up after the Ashes this winter, both sides will be looking to make the most of this five-match series. Watch and stream all the action on TNT Sports and discovery+.
'Unstoppable!' - Hazlewood puts on a bowling clinic with three wickets against India
Video credit: TNT Sports
Dominant Australia take series lead with MCG win
Australia handed India a heavy defeat in Melbourne on Friday, as Josh Hazlewood’s early blitz set the tone for a dominant performance in front of a big MCG crowd.
After the first T20I of this five-match series was hit by rain in Canberra, both teams were keen to show their class in the format, with a T20 World Cup on the horizon in the spring.
And it was Australia who landed the first punch in this fascinating series between the two highest-ranked teams in the world.
Josh Hazlewood’s four overs with the new ball did much of the damage, as he took three wickets and India slumped to 49-5.
Abhishek Sharma was the one Indian batter to get going, hitting an inspired 68 from 37 and putting on an important partnership with Harshit Rana (35 from 33) to get India up to triple figures.
But a target of 126 was never likely to be enough against a powerful Australian batting order, and so it proved, with openers Mitchell Marsh (46 from 26) and Travis Head (28 from 15) breaking the back of the chase.
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'The bison goes bang!' - Marsh hits HUGE six
Video credit: TNT Sports
Wickets did fall, with Kuldeep Yadav and Varun Chakaravarthy taking two apiece to give India encouragement ahead of a World Cup they will co-host in spinning conditions. And India finished with a bang as the ever-excellent Jasprit Bumrah took two from two balls.
But Australia never looked in real danger and wrapped up the win with four wickets and 6.4 overs to spare.
Hazlewood in fine form ahead of the Ashes
If England were watching this then they have been warned about the form of Josh Hazlewood, who was simply phenomenal with the new ball, getting bags of movement as well as his usual tricky bounce. The quick was so good with the new ball that Australia bowled up straight through at the top of the innings, where he finished with figures of 4-0-13-3, and he was rightly named Player of the Match.
"The ball feels like it's coming out nicely at the moment, whatever format I'm playing. So it's just put the ball in the right areas, don't try too much and see what happens. Everything feels in a good place and ready to go.
"I’m going to head home tomorrow, have a week to prepare for the Shield Game against Victoria at the SCG, and then we'll head to Perth for the first Test. I think it's important to get that red-ball hit out, consecutive overs and big days in the field. So tick that off and then it's Perth."
Watch the rest of this series LIVE on TNT Sports
The remainder of this five-match series will be broadcast live on TNT Sports and discovery+, with the next match coming up on Sunday at 08:15 GMT.
RESULT! Australia 126-6 (Stoinis 6*, Bartlett 0*) Overs bowled: 13.2
The umpire calls dead ball twice, first for the incorrect field from India and then for disruption from the skipper as Kuldeep came in to bowl.
But all that does is draw out the end, with Stoinis knocking it for two and sealing a four-wicket win to give the Aussies a 1-0 lead in the five-match series.
DOUBLE-WICKET OVER! Australia 124-6 (Stoinis 4, Bartlett 0) Target 126 Overs bowled: 13
Mitchell Owen, c †Samson b Bumrah, 14 (10b)
Matthew Short, b Bumrah, 0 (1b)
A big swing from Owen doesn’t connect… or does it? India appeal for an edge, and – after a very long pause – the umpire gives it. The batter reviews straight away with a baffled expression on his face, but the technology shows the slightest feather of an edge and Matt Short has to come out with just two runs left for Australia to get.
And short is exactly what Short’s stay in the middle is, as Bumrah cleans him up with an absolute peach of a yorker that rattles into middle stump.
SKY brings the field in, with Bumrah on a hat-trick. But Bartlett watches it on to the middle and defends it safely.
WICKET! Australia 121-4 (Owen 12, Stoinis 3) Target 126 Overs bowled: 12
Josh Inglis, lbw b Kuldeep Yadav, 20 (20b)
Kuldeep reviews and he gets the fourth wicket of the innings, trapping Inglis in front, with DRS saying three reds. That was so incredibly close to pitching outside the line, but Inglis has to go.
Owen finishes the over with a monster hit, deposited into the stands over midwicket. The winning post is within touching distance.
Australia 104-3 (Inglis 18, Owen 6) Target 126 Overs bowled: 11
Varun is a ridiculously good bowler and his latest over, packed full of variations, show why India would have had a chance if they’d be able to scramble up to something closer to a decent score.
He persuades his skipper to review an lbw shout against Owen, but ball-tracking says it’s going over the top.
Six runs come from a superb over.
DROPPED! Australia 104-3 (Inglis 14, Owen 5) Target 126 Overs bowled: 10
Owen skies Kuldeep off the final ball of the tenth over. It’s a tricky catch, with two fielders converging, and Varun probably does just enough to put Rana off, who drops his attempt running in from the out-field.
WICKET! Australia 92-3 (Inglis 6, Owen 1) Target 126 Overs bowled: 9
Tim David, c & b Varun 1, (2b)
Another one goes down at the MCG, but it’s surely too late for India.
Varun ties David up in nots and gets his reward as the big-hitter skews a return catch back to the bowler.
Mitch Owen is the new batter.
WICKET! Australia 87-2 (Inglis 3) Target 126 Overs bowled: 8
Mitchell Marsh, c Abhishek Sharma b Kuldeep Yadav, 46 (26b)
India have such a good spin attack, but they’ve got so little to defend that Australia are happy to take them on, and Kuldeep is battered in his first over of the game.
Marsh pulls three consecutive boundaries, with the middle effort being a maximum, muscled all the way for six.
And he then hammers a brilliant six back down the ground to make it 20 runs from the over, only to fall going for another big hit off the last ball of the over, skying a catch to Abhishek.
Australia 66-1 (Marsh 18, Inglis 10) Target 126 Overs bowled: 7
Varun continues and is dispatched back over his head by Inglis, who is in really fine form right now. Could he be a surprise Ashes pick? It’s been talked about, but would seem unlikely at this stage. You’ll be able to find out live on TNT Sports and discovery+ in a few weeks’ time.
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‘Timing’s everything’ – Cook on how England can exploit Australia’s cracks
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Australia 56-1 (Marsh 15, Inglis 3) Target 126 Overs bowled: 6
Australia are happy to see out Bumrah, easing their way through another good over from the India strike bowler. That brings the end of the powerplay, with Australia in a completely dominant position in the game.
WICKET! Australia 51-1 (Marsh 13, Inglis 0) Target 126 Overs bowled: 5
Travis Head, c Tilak Varma b Varun, 28 (15b)
What an excellent catch that is! Head looks to keep the run-scoring going as Varun Chakravarthy comes into the attack, but he doesn’t quite get all of a hook into the leg side and Tilak Varma does superbly on the rope to juggle it and take the catch at the second attempt.
Australia 49-0 (Marsh 12, Head 27) Target 126 Overs bowled: 4
Australia are looking to wrap this up in a hurry.
Head times a flick beautifully to pick up a maximum right at the start of the over, and more runs soon come as an edge runs away to the rope midway through the over, off a no-ball too.
Marsh hits the shot of the day later in the over, pulling Rana into the second tier of the MCG. Brutal hitting.
'The bison goes bang!' - Marsh hits HUGE six
Video credit: TNT Sports
Australia 29-0 (Marsh 4, Head 16) Target 126 Overs bowled: 3
Brilliant batting from Head, who flicks Bumrah to the midwicket boundary off the first ball of the third over.
India are striving for a breakthrough, knowing that they really need early wickets, but hope is dwindling.
Bumrah beats Marsh with a ripper that leaves the keeper a touch and runs away for four byes. The bowler looks frustrated by that.
But there’s no blame on Samson behind the stumps for the following set of byes, as Bumrah swings one down leg that runs away for five extras.
Australia 11-0 (Marsh 4, Head 7) Target 126 Overs bowled: 2
Harshit Rana, who made an important contribution with the bat earlier, takes the new ball from the other end. And a thick edge from Head brings the first boundary of the innings, flying over the cordon and running away to the rope.
Australia 4-0 (Marsh 3, Head 1) Target 126 Overs bowled: 1
If India are to somehow win this game, then you imagine that Jasprit Bumrah will have to play a big part, and he’s right on the money first up, beating both openers in the first three balls.
It’s beautiful bowling, but Australia survive the first over.
Watch this match LIVE on TNT Sports
The whole of this series is being broadcast live on TNT Sports and discovery+.
Can Australia chase down their modest target?
So Australia will require 126 to win this second T20I and take the lead in the series.
Josh Hazlewood set the tone for the innings, taking 3-13 as he bowled straight through with the new ball, ripping the heart out of the India top order.
And an outstanding knock from Abhishek Sharma was the only reason India were able to limp up to triple figures, with the opener finally dismissed for a 37-ball 68 that was in stark contrast to the batting at the other end. Harshit Rana (35 from 33) was the only other batter to reach double figures, putting together a recovery partnership with Abhishek, as the tourists struggled under the MCG lights.
Two-wickets apiece for Nathan Ellis and Xavier Bartlett, one for Marcus Stoinis, and two run-outs saw Australia bowl India out for 125 off 18.4 overs, leaving them with a very gettable target.
India ALL OUT for 125!
Abhishek Sharma, lbw b Ellis, 68 (37b)
Jasprit Bumrah, run out (Ellis), 0 (1b)
India’s innings comes to an abrupt end.
Abhishek Sharma’s outstanding knock finally comes to an end as Ellis sneaks a yorker under the toe of his batt and smacks him on the toe. He reviews, but there’s no chance there and he departs for 68.
And No. 11 Jasprit Bumrah faces just one ball as a horrible mix-up between the two batters leaves him stranded out of his ground, with the bowler Ellis running to the batter’s end and whipping off the bails.
India are all out for 125.
India 125-8 (Abhishek 68, Varun 0) Overs bowled: 18
Here we go! Abhishek has barely seen the strike in the last few overs, but he finally gets it and goes big against Bartlett. He hammers a full toss through cover for four and follows it up with a big six off a slower-ball bouncer.
He knocks the last ball of the 15-run over for a single and retains the strike. Brilliant batting.
WICKET! India 110-8 (Abhishek 53, Varun 0) Overs bowled: 17
Kuldeep Yadav, c Abbott b Stoinis, 0 (6b)
Abhishek thinks there’s a two off the first ball of Stoinis’ over, but Australia deny him the second and he loses the strike.
Kuldeep is pinned down by Stoinis and falls trying to force a shot, with the sub fielder Abbott taking a nice catch at midwicket, diving forward to snaffle it just above the turf.
DOUBLE-WICKET OVER! India 109-7 (Abhishek 52, Kuldeep 0) Overs bowled: 16
Harshit Rana, c David b Bartlett 35, (33b)
Shivam Dube, c †Inglis b Bartlett, 4 (2b)
Rana’s handy contribution comes to an end as he cloths a slower ball from Bartlett into the deep, with a similar sort of shot that he attempted off Stoinis in the last over. Tim David takes the catch.
Shivam Dube is the new batter and he gets off the mark with a four first-up, getting a thick edge that runs away to the rope. But a similar shot and a similar edge is within reach of Inglis from his second ball, and the keeper takes an excellent catch. Bartlett is jubilant – those two batters could have done big damage in the death overs.
Abhishek turns down a single off the last ball of the over as Kuldeep edges one fine, opting to take the strike instead.
India 105-5 (Abhishek 52, Rana 35) Overs bowled: 15
India bring up their hundred, and it’s a fifty stand too, with Rana opening up his long levers and swinging Stoinis away for a hacked baseball-style six.
India 96-5 (Abhishek 52, Rana 26) Overs bowled: 14
We have a game on here, and credit to this pair for steering India into a position where they are still in with a chance, albeit a slim one at this stage.
Four runs come off Ellis’s over.
FIFTY! India 92-5 (Abhishek 51, Rana 23) Overs bowled: 13
What a knock this is from Abhishek Sharma! He cuts Kuhnemann away for a single to reach his milestone off just 23 balls. Given the context, this is a particularly impressive innings from the dangerous opener.
India 83-5 (Abhishek 48, Rana 17) Overs bowled: 12
Rana angles Stoinis away for four more as India look to get up towards triple figures with this recovery partnership.
There’s a pause at the end of the over to allow Rana to receive a little bit of attention from the physios.
India 74-5 (Abhishek 46, Rana 12) Overs bowled: 11
It’s Matt Kuhnemann who gets a bowl and he draws Rana into a rash shot that lofts through the ring in an aerial fashion, but hits a gap and runs away to the boundary.
Remarkably, that is the first boundary to be scored by an India batter who isn’t Abhishek Sharma in this game.
India 69-5 (Abhishek 45, Rana 7) Overs bowled: 10
More runs for Abhishek as he cuts new bowler Mitchell Owen away through backward point for four.
And he finishes the over with a swing behind square on the leg side for four more. It’s a one-man show.
India 56-5 (Abhishek 36, Rana 4) Overs bowled: 9
Marcus Stoinis comes into the attack and concedes six runs from his over, all in singles, as India look to regroup.
WICKET! India 50-5 (Abhishek 33, Rana 1) Overs bowled: 8
Axar Patel, run out (David/†Inglis), 7 (12b)
Australia drop two tough chances in three balls as the bowler Bartlett puts one down off his own bowling before Marsh fails to hold on to a terrific effort at cover.
But the home side get their wicket from that second drop in any case, as Tim David does brilliantly in the outfield, collecting the deflected ball and sending in an arrow of a throw. A mix-up between the batters leaves Axar in trouble, as he’s sent back, slips, and fails to make his ground before Inglis breaks the stumps.
Harshit Rana is in ahead of Shivam Dube at No. 7, with India looking to regroup and get up to a competitive total.
India 47-4 (Abhishek 33, Axar 5) Overs bowled: 7
Josh Hazlewood, 4-0-13-3
Australia opt to let Hazlewood bowl his four straight overs at the start of the innings and he very nearly gets the danger man Abhishek, drawing an edge from the opener that flies fractionally out of reach of Inglis behind the stumps.
India survive the over and Hazlewood finishes with figures of 3-13 – world-class bowling.
India 40-4 (Abhishek 29, Axar 3) Overs bowled: 6
One man is playing totally differently here, and Abhishek keeps his foot to the floor, swinging Ellis away to the rope to end the powerplay with a boundary.
DOUBLE-WICKET OVER! India 33-4 (Abhishek 24, Axar 1) Overs bowled: 5
Suryakumar Yadav, c †Inglis b Hazlewood, 1 (4b)
Tilak Varma, c †Inglis b Hazlewood, 0 (2b)
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'Unstoppable!' - Hazlewood puts on a bowling clinic with three wickets against India
Video credit: TNT Sports
Hazlewood is on fire here. He very nearly gets the India skipper with the second ball of his third over, with the ball catching the glove and looping up over the head of the keeper Inglis, who tries to hold it but can’t quite cling on.
But Hazlewood gets his man next ball, finding the edge with a peach that Inglis takes behind the stumps.
And new batter Tilak Varma lasts just two balls, misting a flick and top-edging a steepling catch that Inglis does well to take.
Simply brilliant bowling and Hazlewood has ripped through India’s top order here.
WICKET! India 32-2 (Abhishek 24, SKY 1) Overs bowled: 4
Sanju Samson, lbw b Ellis, 2 (4b)
Nathan Ellis comes into the attack and he has Samson in a lot of bother, beating his outside edge with one that moves away. And he gets him next ball, moving the ball back in and rapping the India batter on the pads. Samson reviews, but it’s three reds and he has to go.
There’s a huge cheer as the India skipper Suryakumar Yadav strides out to the middle at No. 4. He knocks a single and Abhishek continues his fast-scoring start by slamming two boundaries to end the over, ramping one over short third and then driving through cover. Brutal hitting.
WICKET! India 22-1 (Abhishek 15, Samson 2) Overs bowled: 3
Shubman Gill, c Marsh b Hazlewood, 5 (10b)
Hazlewood is bowling like a dream here and he gets Gill, who mistimes a drive and lofts a catch to Marsh in the ring. Sanju Samson is the new batter.
India 18-0 (Gill 4, Abhishek 14) Overs bowled: 2
Here we go. India light up the evening with a big over, as Abhishek Sharma does what he does and goes extremely hard first up.
The big-swing opener ends the over with the first maximum of the night, heaving him majestically over the cover boundary.
India 1-0 (Gill 1, Abhishek 0) Overs bowled: 1
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Gill given OUT first ball LBW...but successfully reviews to overturn decision
Video credit: TNT Sports
There are few things in this sport quite like a big occasion at the MCG, and a huge and vocal crowd welcome the teams out on to the pitch.
It’s Hazlewood who takes the first over, and he thinks he’s struck first ball, hooping one back in and clattering Gill on the front pad, with the finger going up. The India opener reviews, a tad hopefully, but the DRS review works in his favour, saying the ball was clearing the top of the stumps. The Aussie shakes his head with a smile at the technology’s suggestion.
Gill has some difficulties in the rest of a stunning first over, with a quick single off the final ball preventing it from being a maiden first up.
Watch this match LIVE on TNT Sports
The whole of this series is being broadcast live on TNT Sports and discovery+.
The Teams
Australia: 1 Travis Head, 2 Mitchell Marsh (capt), 3 Josh Inglis (wk), 4 Tim David, 5 Mitch Owen, 6 Marcus Stoinis, 7 Josh Philippe, 8 Xavier Bartlett/Sean Abbott, 9 Nathan Ellis, 10 Matt Kuhnemann, 11 Josh Hazlewood
India: 1 Abhishek Sharma, 2 Shubman Gill, 3 Tilak Varma, 4 Suryakumar Yadav (capt), 5 Sanju Samson (wk), 6 Shivam Dube, 7 Axar Patel, 8 Harshit Rana, 9 Kuldeep Yadav, 10 Varun Chakravarthy, 11 Jasprit Bumrah
Joy for India in another Australian encounter
There was another meeting between these two nations in a white-ball international yesterday, with India pulling off a stunning run chase to beat Australia in a remarkable semi-final in the ICC Women’s Cricket World Cup.
Here’s how Jemimah Rodrigues inspired the India team to one of the all-time great World Cup results:
Australia have won the toss and decided to bowl first
The first game in this series saw just 9.4 overs bowled as rain intervened in Canberra, but hopefully we’ll get a full match tonight at the Melbourne Cricket Ground. These are the two top-ranked nations in the ICC’s T20 Rankings and India will surely be the team to beat in the upcoming T20 World Cup, which follows hot on the heels of the Ashes in a packed winter of top-level cricket.
Hello and welcome
Good morning, welcome to live coverage of the second T20 International between Australia and India. You can watch this game, and the upcoming 2025/26 Ashes series, live on TNT Sports and discovery+.
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