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Warner runs riot as Aussies overpower India

David Warner smashed a rapid 72 as Australia thrashed India by 49 runs in the teams’ opening Super Eights match in the World Twenty20 at the Kensington Oval here on Friday.

Left-handed opener Warner’s innings was the top score in an Australia total of 184 for five built around his first wicket stand of 104 in 11 overs with Shane Watson (54). In reply, India collapsed to 23 for four inside five overs as several batsmen miscued big shots in a bid to keep up with the run-rate.

India were eventually bowled out for 135, with Rohit Sharma (79 not out) and tailender Harbhajan Singh (13) the only batsmen to reach double figures.

Australia’s victory maintained their perfect record at this World Twenty20 as India suffered their first defeat.

Australia left-arm quick Dirk Nannes then consolidated his position as the tournament’s leading bowler with three wickets for 25 runs to take his tally for the competition to 10 wickets. Fellow fast bowler Shaun Tait took three for 21. Sharma went to his fifty in 33 balls with four sixes and two fours after Suresh Raina, who struck 101 against South Africa last time out, falling to fast bowler Shaun Tait for five.

Warner faced just 41 balls and struck seven of the innings’s 16 sixes.

Given such a start, India did well to restrict Australia to under 200.

Australia’s openers were especially severe on left-arm spinner Ravindra Jadeja, whose two overs went for 38.

Jadeja conceded six consecutive sixes, split across those two overs, with both Watson and Warner striking three in a row. Watson, as in his 81 against Pakistan this tournament, was given an early reprieve when dropped on seven, a difficult chance, by a diving Jadeja at square leg following a miscued sweep against off-spinner Harbhajan Singh.