[WATCH] Axar Patel dismissed on run-out after miscommunication with Abhishek Sharma in AUS vs IND 2nd T20I

The second T20I between Australia and India at the Melbourne Cricket Ground (MCG) didn’t start as the visitors expected it to be, as they lost half of their side inside the first 10 overs after being put into bat first by Mitchell Marsh, the Australian captain, who won the toss and had no hesitation in bowling first. The management decided to bring Matthew Short into the eleven.

Even from the opening over, it was addressed that Shubman Gill was struggling against Josh Hazlewood, who sent back the Punjab batter along with two more wickets of Tilak Verma and Suryakumar Yadav. But it became worse when their left-handed middle order batter, Axar Patel, got dismissed for two runs via a run-out.

On the third ball of the eighth over, Axar clubbed the ball and comfortably took the first couple of runs. But while returning for his third run, he slipped while standing halfway down the 22-yard. He was initially slow to start running and didn’t have enough time to complete the third run. It was enough for Josh Iglis to break the stumps and send the batter back.

Watch: Axar Patel dismissed for 7 via run-out during AUS vs IND 2nd T20I in Melbourne

On the fifth over of the innings, Hazlewood broke the back of the Indian side with the twin wickets of Sky and Tilak Varma. The former was totally squared up against the unplayable short ball before the wicket-keeper grabbed a fine catch. Two balls later, he sent back India’s Asia Cup 2025 hero for a two-ball duck.

Harshit Rana was promoted to number seven in the batting line-up and did a great job to put a good stand of over 40 runs for the sixth wicket with Abhishek, who celebrated his fifty in 23 balls, thanks to seven boundaries and one six at a strike rate over 200.

India reached 92/5 in their 13 overs. It had been a typical performance from the Blue Brigade. However, it would help them for future T20Is to get the right planning in these circumstances.