Michael Vaughan has lashed out at India’s poor fielding in the last and third T20I against Australia where the hosts won by 12 runs. The visitors dropped two dolly catches while a couple of misfields were witnessed at the Sydney Cricket Ground (SCG). Their misfielding supported Australia to put up 186 runs on the board in the dead-rubber game of the three-match T20I series.
Opting to field first, India was set of a good start when Washington Sundar picked Aaron Finch’s wicket for a duck. But Matthew Wade and Steve Smith stitched up a solid partnership to score 51 runs in the powerplay. In the 10th over, Sundar picked another wicket of Smith.
Glenn Maxwell, who came after Smith’s departure, was given three chances alive. He went on to struck a half-century to push Australia’s score past 180. The flamboyant batsman struck three sixes and as many fours to amass 54 runs off 36 balls.
KL Rahul and the Indian team started celebrating after Maxwell gave an easy catch off Chahal’s bowl but it was the happiness of few moments as the umpire declared it no-ball. Then, during the 17th over of that innings (Shardul Thakur was bowling), Deepak Chahar dropped Maxwell’s catch . To frustrate Thakur even more, Chahal’s hand could not hold the ball during another opportunity in 19th over. But finally, Natarajan bowled out Maxwell on the first ball of the last over.
Apart from dropped catches, Sundar misfielded which went for a four, and some other laxity in fielding also cost them runs.
Michael Vaughan Slams India’s Show On The Field
Michael Vaughan took Twitter to slam India for their “atrocious’ fielding in Syndey.
“India’s fielding is atrocious … It’s my standard … #OnOn #AUSvIND,” Michael Vaughan tweeted.
India’s fielding is atrocious … It’s my standard … #OnOn #AUSvIND
— Michael Vaughan (@MichaelVaughan) December 8, 2020
The hosts Australia avoided the clean sweep in T20I series as India fell short of 12 runs from the hosts total while chasing the challenging target. KL Rahul and Shreyas Iyer lost their respective wickets for the duck while Sanju Samson’s stay was short as always. Although Virat Kohli posted 85 runs on the board, India ultimately missed out their whitewash opportunity.
After the completion of the limited-overs series, India will move on to play the four-match Test series , which is scheduled to begin from December 17.