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Australia has suffered a thumping eight-wicket defeat to India in their final Twenty20 World Cup warm-up match.
Aaron Finch’s team never recovered from a bad start in which they were reduced to 3-11. Though Steve Smith, with a 48-ball 57, enabled them to reach 5-152 India cruised to the target with more than two overs to spare, Australia dismissing only one batsman.
Underlining the status of the match India used seven bowlers, including Virat Kohli, and Australia eight. India’s Rohit Sharma also retired when he reached 60 to provide batting practice for team-mates.
Nevertheless, the one-sided nature of the match will have been a concern for Australia only three days before the start of the competition.
The form of David Warner is a particular worry as he followed a golden duck against New Zealand in the first warm-up with a seven-ball one. He has now played four innings since April scoring 0, 2, 0, 1, the other two being IPL matches.
Warner was leg before reverse sweeping Ravi Ashwin. With Mitchell Marsh perishing next ball for a duck, and Finch falling to Ravi Jadeja for eight, Australia were 3-11 off 19 balls.
Smith and Glenn Maxwell rebuilt the innings adding 61 in 53 balls before the latter was bowled for 37 off 28 balls. Marcus Stoinis, who hit the innings’ only six in an unbeaten 41, then helped Smith double the score with Australia scoring 58 off the last five overs.
Though Smith went off the penultimate ball Matt Wade hit his only delivery for four to carry Australia past 150.
When they bowled it took 12 overs for Australia India to make a breakthrough, Ashton Agar having KL Rahul caught at long-off by Warner in the 12th over.
That, however, was the only wicket taken. Rohit’s 60 took 41 balls, Suryakumar Yadav made an unbeaten 38 off 27 balls, and Hardik Pandya finished the innings with a six off Kane Richardson to tally 14 off eight.
Australia open their campaign against South Africa in Abu Dhabi on Saturday.
In other warm-ups England defeated New Zealand, South Africa beat Pakistan and Afghanistan defeated holders West Indies.
England made 6-163 with Jos Buttler scoring 73, then reduced New Zealand to 9-103 with Mark Wood taking 4-23 and Adil Rashid 3-18, before winning by 13 runs.
South Africa scored 22 off the final over to beat Pakistan by six wickets, Hendrik van der Dussen bringing up his century with a match-winning four off the last ball.
Afghanistan made 5-189 then won by 56 runs with Mohammad Nabi taking three wickets for two runs off four overs.
© AAP
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