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PHOTOS: Ashwin, Yuvraj star in India's big win over Australia
Yuvraj Singh roared back to form with a blazing innings of 60 and Ravichandran Ashwin claimed career-best figures of four for 11 as India crushed Australia by 73 runs in an inconsequential Group 2 league match of the ICC World T20, in Mirpur, Dhaka, on Sunday.
- Scorecard
Put in to bat, India scored 159 for seven, with Yuvraj blasting four sixes and five boundaries in his 43-ball knock.
Ashwin then took four for 11 as Australia were bowled out for a paltry 86 in 16.2 overs for their third successive loss in the tournament.
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India's openers perish cheaply
On a slow track, Yuvraj initially struggled before blasting four sixes and five boundaries in his 43-ball knock.
It was also his eighth T20 International half-century in 38 matches. He put on 84 runs for the fifth wicket for the fifth wicket with captain Mahendra Singh Dhoni, who hit 24 from 20 balls, to put the Indian innings back on track, after Australia opened their bowling with Brad Hodge and he struck in the very first over with the wicket of in-form Rohit Sharma, who was caught at point for six.
Virat Kohli started with a slog-sweep off Glenn Maxwell that went for a six and followed it by guiding Mitchell Starc to the third man boundary. But he didn’t last long enough, as he tried to attack leg-spinner James Muirhead but was caught at long-off after scoring 23 came off 22 deliveries, having two fours and a six.
Ajinkya Rahane, who was picked in place of the struggling Shikhar Dhawan, scored 19 off 16 balls before he was caught behind off Doug Bollinger.
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Yuvraj's fifty lifts India to 159
Yuvraj started off nervously and even had a few close calls for leg before wicket.
Suresh Raina tried to break the shackles as he lofted Glenn Maxwell but was caught by Aaron Finch at long-on after scoring just six.
But Yuvraj got going with a couple sixes off Muirhead over deep mid-wicket to lift the Indian innings after a quiet start.
Captain Dhoni also got into the act after settling down, as he first lifted Bollinger for a boundary over extra-cover and then hooked Starc for a six.
Then came the shot of the innings, when Yuvraj just stood and hit Starc over deep extra cover for a stunning six.
Yuvraj reached his half-century off 37 balls when he deposited a Watson full-toss over deep square leg for a six.
The left-hander was dismissed in the final over, but India, by then, had posted a healthy 159 for seven in their 20 overs
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Australia struggle after losing early wickets
Ashwin got the breakthrough for India when Finch tried to slog him and Kohli took a simple catch at mid-on.
Cameron White (0) looked distinctly short of match practice, as he miscued while trying to drive Bhuvneshwar Kumar on the up and was caught on the off-side.
Young Mohit Sharma bowled Shane Watson for just one, as the Australia right-hander continued his poor run in the tournament with scores of 4, 2, 1.
David Warner (19) tried to slog-sweep Ashwin, but was taken brilliantly by Rohit Sharma, running forward from deep mid-wicket.
Glenn Maxwell gave Australia some hope briefly as he slammed 23 from 12 balls, with the help of three sixes, before he tried to reverse sweep Ashwin but ended up dragging the ball back on to his stumps.
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Skipper George Bailey (8) and Brad Haddin (6) both fell trying to slog-sweep Ravindra Jadeja and Amit Mishra, leaving Australia reeling at 75 for seven in the 14th over.
Ashwin finished off things with the wicket of James Muirhead, who was caught behind by Dhoni for three, as Australia were bundled out for 86 in 16.2 overs.
The victory assured India of the top spot in Group 2, while the winners of the match between Pakistan and West Indies will decide the second spot and a place in the semi-finals.