Shreyas Iyer and Shubman Gill scored dominating centuries as India routed Australia by 99 runs (DLS method) in a rain-hit ODI on Sunday. The victory helped India gain an unassailable 2-0 lead in the three-match series. Iyer (105) Gill (104) put on a dominant second-wicket stand of 200 to lay the foundations for India’s 399 for 5 after being invited to bat in Indore. Stand-in-skipper KL Rahul‘s 52 and an unbeaten 72 by T20 sensation Suryakumar Yadav contributed to the mammoth total and the bowlers then combined to hand India an unbeatable lead.

Due to rain, Australia’s chase was curtailed to 317 in 33 overs midway. The Steven Smith-led side was never really in the game, but Sean Abbott‘s 54 off 36 towards the end did frustrate the Indian bowlers. Number eight batter Abbott put on a ninth-wicket stand of 77 runs with Josh Hazlewood, who made 23.

Talking about the innings played by the Australia tail-ender, Pakistan great Saeed Anwar pointed out that India need to work on their bowling skills in slog overs.

While reacting to the news of India’s victory over Australia in second ODI, Anwar wrote on X, formerly Twitter: “But that inning of S. Abbott was gorgeous & terrible for India. In addition, I can sum up by saying, that India is the favorite to win the WC, but those small boundaries & death bowling will be the cause to prevent them.”

But that inning of S. Abbott was gorgeous & terrible for India.
In addition, I can sum up by saying, that India is the favorite to win the WC, but those small boundaries & death bowling will be the cause to prevent them. #INDvsAUS #CWC23 https://t.co/NUOPA6Mj3d

— Saeed Anwar (@ImSaeedAnwar) September 24, 2023

Chasing the DLS revised target, Australia were bowled out for 217 in 28.2 overs. Spinners Ravichandran Ashwin and Ravindra Jadeja took three wickets each.

(With AFP Inputs)