Indian all-rounder Axar Patel scored a crucial 21 runs off 11 balls in the fourth T20I against Australia, helping India secure a 48-run victory and a 2-1 series lead. He reflected on overcoming past errors in shot selection influenced by boundary sizes. Axar also took two wickets to earn player of the match honors.
In the fourth T20I at Carrara, India posted 167 runs, with Axar Patel's late surge proving decisive. His 11-ball 21, featuring a four and a six off Marcus Stoinis in the final over, pushed the total beyond 160 despite a collapse. Australia managed only 119 in reply, falling short by 48 runs. This win gives India an unassailable 2-1 lead in the five-match series, following a washed-out opener.
Axar shared his mindset in a video interview with teammate Shivam Dube, posted by bcci.tv. "Obviously I knew it was tough because wickets were falling back to back. The message that I got from the dressing room was to take it to the last over because there weren't any batsmen after me," he said. On targeting larger boundaries, Axar noted, "The side boundaries were big but I thought if I could hold my shape and watch the ball, I could clear them."
He emphasized learning from experience: "I have felt in the past that if I think about the size of the boundary and don't hit towards those sides, they become predetermined shots and because of that we make mistakes. I learnt from past mistakes and played my shots here."
Axar's bowling was equally impactful, claiming two wickets, including the LBW dismissal of Matthew Short via a successful review consulted with Jitesh Sharma. "I'm never ready to take a review. But when the ball hit [his pads] this time, I think it stayed low," Axar explained. He aimed for economy on a pitch offering little spin but some bounce due to dew: "As a spinner, I felt like, it was important for me to contain. I was looking at that and bowling wicket to wicket because I was not getting much spin but I was getting a little bit of bounce because of the dew. The ball was skidding a lot."
The 31-year-old's all-round performance earned him player of the match. The series concludes with the fifth T20I in Brisbane on Saturday.