NEW DELHI: The final T20I match between India and Australia at The Gabba in Brisbane ended in a draw as persistent rain and lightning forced the match to be called off on Saturday. Before the weather intervened, India raced to 52 for no loss in just 4.5 overs, ending the five-match series 2-1.The result gave India their fifth consecutive win over Australia in the T20I series, underscoring their continued dominance in the shortest format. Openers Abhishek Sharma (23 not out) and Shubman Gill (29 not out) provided a buoyant start, treating the crowd to a wonderful performance before the skies opened up and forced the players off the field.
Abhishek, who became the second fastest Indian to reach 1,000 T20I runs, was given two first lives in the powerplay — first when Glenn Maxwell dropped him at long-on off Ben Dwarshuis and then when Dwarshuis himself put a chance on the boundary to Nathan Ellis. Taking advantage of those reprieve, the left-hander hit two elegant boundaries and looked set for a big score before the rain had the last word. Gill, meanwhile, looked sublime, timing his shots beautifully and hitting six boundaries.After the game was abandoned, India were declared the series winners, having earlier registered wins in Hobart and Gold Coast after losing the opening match in Melbourne.After the match, Abhishek Sharma and captain Suryakumar Yadav addressed the media. During a press conference, a reporter asked Abhishek about his partnership with Shubman Gill, which is often described as a combination of ‘ice and fire’.Abhishek smiled and replied, “I’d actually say we’re more like fire and fire. The way Shubman batted today. We’ve been playing together since we were 12, so there’s a deep understanding between us. I usually know what shot he’s going to take and he understands which bowler I’m going to target. Sometimes he helps me with shot selection and I do the same for him: chemistry is something we really like on the field.»His words perfectly summed up the bond between India’s two brightest young batsmen, a partnership built on years of friendship, trust and shared firepower at the top.
