India v Australia, T20 World Cup: Stunning Rohit Sharma Catch Inspires India to Crushing Win
An amazing catch by Rohit Sharma was the highlight of India's performance as they crushed Australia in the T20 World Cup.
Having set Australia 160 to win, India, bowling second for the first time in the tournament, skittled their opponents for just 86, in a fielding display studded with outstanding pieces of athleticism.
The most crucial intervention was made by Sharma, running in from the boundary and holding on to a steepling catch at full stretch. The catch ended a partnership between David Warner and Glenn Maxwell which had threatened to take the game away from the Indians.
Australia had begun badly with Aaron Finch, Cameron White and Shane Watson all dismissed cheaply, before Warner and Maxwell blasted their side back into contention with several huge blows.
But after Sharma's sensational catch to dismiss Warner, the men in green simply fell away, unable to cope with India's potent blend of wily spin and tenacious ground fielding.
Maxwell was bowled trying to reverse-sweep Ashwin, George Bailey holed out off Jadeja and the lower order crumbled, leaving Australia all out in just 16.2 overs.
Ashwin was India's star performer with the ball, taking three wickets, while Amit Mishra continued his remarkable tournament with two scalps as Australia wilted.
The collapse capped a miserable tournament for Bailey's men, who had already been eliminated prior to the match with India. Following their remarkable Ashes whitewash, Australia have been brought firmly down to earth in this World Cup.
Earlier in the day India had batted well without making a bulletproof total, their 159-7 predicated on a superb knock from Yuvraj Singh, with excellent support from captain MS Dhoni, who chipped in with 24 from 20 balls to guide India from the perilous position of 66-4.
Dhoni's team once again looked the best team in the tournament, and on this evidence it will take a monumental performance to stop them taking the trophy.
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