MELBOURNE, Nov 23: The second T2O International between India and Australia was called off due to intermittent rain on Friday, undoing the visitors� good work with the ball and denying them an opportunity to level the three-match series.
India were naturally disappointed at not getting a go at the target which was revised thrice due to rain. Australia had scored 132 for seven in 19 overs when the first spell of rain arrived at the Melbourne Cricket Ground.
India�s target was initially revised to 137 runs in 19 overs before more rain made it 90 runs from 11 overs and then 46 from five overs. Nearly 90 minutes were lost due to the fickle weather before the game was eventually called off at 10.02 pm local time.
Rain playing hide and seek was not just frustrating for the players but also for the 60,000 plus crowd gathered at the iconic venue.
With the match not producing a result, India now can only level the series in the final game in Sydney on Sunday. Virat Kohli and his team had come into the T20 series after winning six bilateral contests in a row.
The Indians are scheduled to play a four-match Test series followed by a three-match ODI rubber after the T20s.
India put up a much improved show with the ball on Friday, following the disappointment of the series opener at the Gabba on Wednesday.
Bhuvneshwar Kumar (2-20) and Khaleel Ahmed (2-39) shared four wickets to rock the Australian top-order and reduce them to 41-4 at one stage.
This was after India won the toss and opted to bowl. The visitors went in with an unchanged side while Australia made one change, bringing in Nathan Coulter-Nile for Billy Stanlake who picked up an ankle niggle during warm-up.
SCORECARD
Australia: D Arcy Short b Khaleel Ahmed 14, Aaron Finch c Pant b Bhuvneshwar 0, Chris Lynn c Krunal Pandya b Khaleel Ahmed 13, Glenn Maxwell b Krunal Pandya 19, Marcus Stoinis c Karthik b Bumrah 4, Ben McDermott batting 32, Alex Carey c Krunal Pandya b Kuldeep Yadav 4, Nathan Coulter-Nile c (sub) Manish Pandey b Bhuvneshwar 18, Andrew Tye batting 12. Extras: (B-1, LB-3, W-12) 16. Total: (For 7 wickets in 19 overs) 132. Fall of wickets: 1-1, 27-2, 35-3, 41-4, 62-5, 74-6, 101-7. Bowling: Bhuvneshwar Kumar 3-0-20-2, Khaleel Ahmed 4-0-39-2, Jasprit Bumrah 4-0-20-1, Kuldeep Yadav 4-0-23-1, Krunal Pandya 4-0-26-1. � PTI
