Shane Watson hit 72 off 42 balls
Shane Watson hammered India with both bat and bowl as Australia scripted a comprehensive nine-wicket victory in the Super Eights match of the World Twenty20 in Colombo on Friday.
The flamboyant all-rounder first grabbed 3-34 to help Australia restrict India to a modest total of 140-7 and then spanked 72 off 42 balls as Australia overhauled the target with 31 balls to spare.
Shane Watson shared an opening partnership of 133 with David Warner (63 not out). The pair switched on power hitting with the emergence and carted the India bowlers to all parts of the park, hitting maximums as well.
Shane Watson clobbered seven sixes and two boundaries while Warner smashed three sixes and seven fours.
Shane Watson’s glorious knock came into end in the 14th over, when Australia were needed 15 runs. He was adjudged Man-of-the-Match for the third successive game.
“I came off a five-week break. It was a time I was able to get some physical strength and fitness but also have a bit of a mental break as well, to be able to hit this Twenty20 World Cup running,” said Watson.
The Aussies join Pakistan, who defeated South Africa by two wickets earlier the day, at the top of Group ‘B’ with one win apiece.
Earlier, elected to bat, India lost opener Gautam Gambhir (17) cheaply before Irfan Pathan (31 off 30) and Virat Kohli (15) shared 53 runs for the second wicket to steady the innings.
Reaching 70-2 in 10 overs, India were progressing towards a defendable total but the dismissal of Kohli caused a brief collapse as India slumped to 5-74 in quick-succession.
Suresh Raina (26 off 19) stitched up 30 runs for the sixth wicket with skipper MS Dhoni (15) and 33 for the seventh with Ravichandran Ashwin (16 not out).
