India flatten Australia to take series win

India reaffirmed their World Cup ambitions with another resounding win over Australia in Indore to take an unassailable 2-0 lead in the series. The Men in Blue produced a batting display for the ages as centuries from Shubman Gill and Shreyas Iyer and a sparking 37-ball 72 from Suryakumar Yadav lifted India to 399/5 – their highest ODI total against Australia.

The bowlers then completed the job in a rain-hit run-chase, bowling the visitors out for 217 to secure a 99-run win for the Men in Blue via DLS.

Having been asked to bat first, India lost Ruturaj Gaikwad early on, but Shreyas Iyer and Shubman Gill cashed in on a flat batting deck to give the hosts a lightning start. The pair teed off to take India to 80/1 to end the powerplay and kept their foot on the pedal throughout the middle overs. Gill brought up a second consecutive fifty off just 37 deliveries, while Iyer got to the landmark off just 41 balls.

After taking India to 158/1 at the end of 20 overs, Iyer and Gill slowed down on their way to their third and sixth ODI tons, respectively, but the middle order built on the platform laid by the 200-run stand carved by the two centurions. Rahul and Ishan Kishan added a quickfire 33-ball partnership that brought 59 runs before Suryakumar Yadav changed the complexion of the innings with some phenomenal death-over fireworks.

The number six creamed Cameron Green for four consecutive sixes and smashed 72 off just 37 balls to score his second consecutive fifty, taking India to a commanding total of 399/5.

The hosts carried that momentum into the chase as Prasidh Krishna, deputising for Jasprit Bumrah, picked up two wickets in the second over. The pacer had Matthew Short caught at third man before getting Steve Smith edging to slip. David Warner and Marnus Labuschagne attempted to revive the innings after a lengthy rain break that brought the target down to 317 in 33 overs, but Ravichandran Ashwin derailed the Australian effort with his bag of tricks.

The off-spinner cleaned up Marnus Labuschagne and Josh Inglis and dismissed David Warner for 53, who was batting right-handed against Ashwin in his innings. The visitors slumped to 140/8 as the wickets kept tumbling, but a few big hits from Sean Abbott and Josh Hazlewood reduced the margin of defeat, with Australia falling short by 99 runs after being bowled out for 217.