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After the first T20 in the five-match series was rained out in Canberra on Wednesday, the contest moved to the MCG, where a big crowd was packed in. Watch Australia vs India T20I Series LIVE and ad-break free during play only on FOX CRICKET, available on Kayo Sports | New to Kayo? Join now and get your first month for just $1. There was an impeccable tribute observed at the start of the game for 17-year-old Ben Austin, who was killed this week after being hit by a cricket ball in the nets in Melbourne. Once the match got underway, it appeared Hazlewood would take a wicket with the very first ball after he trapped Shubman Gill in front and the umpire raised his finger. “Hazlewood to Shubman Gill to get things underway at the MCG,” Mark Howard said on Fox Cricket. “Straight into the pads, big shout, got him! First ball Hazlewood knocks over Shubman Gill, looked plumb in front, not sure he’ll review. “Looked full and straight and he’s gone upstairs but gee whiz, it looked adjacent.” Ravi Shastri added: “If he’s not got any bat it looks plumb.” The review came through and there was indeed no bat, but when ball tracker landed the delivery was apparently soaring well clear of the stumps according to the technology. “Wow that looked adjacent,” Shastri said. “But when you look at that replay it says it’s gone at least six inches over the stumps.” The Australians all appeared baffled, with a bunch of them pointing and even laughing at the verdict from the DRS. “You can see Josh Hazlewood’s reaction there,” David Warner said. “MCG never bouncing that much over the stumps, even from his height.” Hazlewood’s third delivery then smacked straight into Gill’s helmet in an eventful start to the game. Hazlewood eventually got his man, with Gill caught by Aussie skipper Mitch Marsh for five from 10 balls as the Aussies made a hot start. But that DRS call proved an early talking point from those watching on. Sports producer Bernie Coen wrote on X: “Ball tracker is an absolute load of s**t. “There is no way that was missing the stumps by that much.” Mark Simpson tweeted: “Plumb mate. What an embarrassment. Jog on Gill.” At the end of his four-over spell, Hazlewood had 3/13, also picking up Indian skipper Suryakumar Yadav for one and Tilak Varma for a duck, both caught behind. After 34-year-old Hazlewood produced an exceptional spell in the second ODI without taking a wicket, many thought the veteran was getting his reward on Friday night. Cricket writer Bharat Sundaresan wrote: “If Josh Hazlewood delivered one of the best ODI spells last week in Adelaide, this has to be up there with the best power play spells of all time in T20I cricket. 3/6 in 3 overs. Amazing.” @TheSoulSpartan stated: “Just another day in the office for Josh HazleGod!” Another wrote: “Hazelwood at his best, this man is a bowling machine.” A fourth suggested he had reasons for a quick finish, writing: “Hazlewood got Halloween plans!” Opener Abhishek Sharma, the world’s top-ranked T20 batter, has brought up a half-century and is almost single-handedly keeping India in the contest. Josh Inglis take a bow The Aussie keeper took an outstanding catch diving full length to his left to remove Shivam Dube late in the Indian innings. Xavier Bartlett, who had just broken up a 56-run stand between Sharma and Harshit Rana (35), removed Dube in the same over with the help of the athletic keeper. India has found a way past triple figures, but is still looking at a tough task to restrict Australia after a disappointing effort with the bat overall. – More to come
