The all-rounder Axar Patel made a brilliant performance with bat and ball during the 4th T20I game played between Australia and India on November 06 at Queensland.

India secured a 48-run victory, securing a 2-1 lead in the five-match T20I series. After being invited to bat first, India’s Abhishek Sharma and Shubman Gill opened the innings while Ben Dwarshuis opened the bowling attack.

The opener duo made a decent start, scoring 49 runs in the power play. Adam Zampa bagged the wicket of Abhishek Sharma for 28 runs, while Dube came in at No.3 to score 22 runs.

Shubman Gill went on to score 46 runs while Suryakumar Yadav scored 22 runs as India lost four wickets for 125 runs.

With Tilak Varma and Jitesh Sharma dismissed cheaply for 5 and 3 runs, Washington Sundar and Axar Patel added 12 and 21 runs as India went on to score 167 runs in their 20-over innings.

In the pursuit of chasing 168 runs, Mitchell Marsh and Matthew Short opened the innings, while Arshdeep Singh opened the bowling attack.

Axar Patel went on to pick the first two wickets of Matthew Short (25) and Josh Inglis (12) while Shivam Dube went on to bag the wickets of Mitchell Marsh and Tim David, leaving Australia to lose 4 wickets for 91 runs.

With Josh Phillippe and Marcus Stoinis adding 10 and 17 runs, the remaining middle order and lower order got dismissed cheaply.

Australia went on to score only 119 runs before losing all 10 wickets. Washington Sundar bagged three wickets while Axar Patel and Shivam Dube completed with two wickets each.

Meanwhile, Arshdeep Singh, Jasprit Bumrah and Varun Chakravarthy bagged one wicket each to dismantle Australia’s batting lineup.

Axar Patel was named Player of the Match. Speaking on the post match presentation, Axar said, “I got a chance because I went into bat at number 7, so I think I had a chance to get to know the wicket.”

“After I spoke with the batters, they were saying that the wicket is not coming on… There was unexpected bounce and the wicket was a little bit slower, so I just held my position and hit,” added Axar Patel.

“I think whenever the team needs me that’s my preferred (batting) position. If I have an impact for my team, I think that’s the best game for me. I don’t think that number 6 or 7 is my preferred position. I just go there and think what my team needs now, I’ll do that,” added Axar Patel.

” I was thinking that was the batters’ strength, so I was bowling according to my plan. If the batters are going to hit me down the line, then I can bowl in the middle-stump,” added the all-rounder.

“Good length, 5-6m length and then if things are slipping from me, then I’ll just bowl an odd full one. So that’s my plan in these condition, I think wicket to wicket is the most important thing,” concluded Axar Patel.

India secured a 2-1 lead in the T20I series and will play the final match of the November 08 at The Gabba, Brisbane.