By IANS
Melbourne : Australia bowled world champions India out for mere 74 runs in 17.3 overs in the one-off Twenty20 International here Friday, with Irfan Pathan (26) being the lone batsman to enter double digits.
Nathan Bracken bagged three wickets and left-arm bowler Adam Voges bagged two consecutive wickets to skittle India out at the Melbourne Cricket Ground. India avoided establishing the world record for the lowest score by a solitary run.
Kenya holds that record, scoring 73 in 16.5 overs against New Zealand in Durban Sep 12.
Pathan’s 30-ball knock saved India from further humiliation, after their 1-2 Test series defeat.
Virender Sehwag and Sreesanth did not even open their account as Sachin Tendulkar watched form the sidelines because he was not picked in the XI for the slam-bang version.
Voges dismissed Harbhajan Singh and Sreesanth off successive balls, but debutant Ishant Sharma denied him the hat trick.
Three players — Michael Hussey’s brother, off-spinner David, and Indian pacers Praveen Kumar and Sharma — made their debut in the day-night encounter.
Scoreboard:
Twenty20 International (day/night), India vs. Australia, Melbourne Cricket Ground, Melbourne
India:
Gautam Gambhir c Hopes b Bracken 9
Virender Sehwag run out (Clarke) 0
Dinesh Karthik b Lee 8
Robin Uthappa c D. Hussey b Bracken 1
Rohit Sharma b Hopes 8
Mahendra Singh Dhoni c Lee b D. Hussey 9
Irfan Pathan c Gilchrist b Bracken 26
Praveen Kumar c Voges b Noffke 6
Harbhajan Singh c Clarke b Voges 1
Sreesanth c Hodge b Voges 0
Ishant Sharma not out 3
Extras: (wides 3) 3
Total: (all out in 17.3 overs) 74
Fall of wickets: 1-5 (Sehwag, 0.5 overs), 2-12 (Gambhir, 1.4), 3-20 (Karthik, 2.6), 4-20 (Uthappa, 3.2), 5-32 (R. Sharma, 6.4), 6-49 (Dhoni, 11.4), 7-60 (Kumar, 14.1), 8-63 (Harbhajan, 15.2), 9-63 (Sreesanth, 15.3)
Bowling:
Brett Lee 3 0 13 1 (2w)
Nathan Bracken 2.3 1 11 3
Ashley Noffke 4 0 23 1
James Hopes 3 0 10 1
David Hussey 3 0 12 1 (1w)
Adam Voges 2 0 5 2
Umpires: B.N.J. Oxenford and Simon Taufel (both Australia)
TV umpire: R.L. Parry (Australia)
Match referee: Jeff Crowe (New Zealand)