Highlights, India vs Australia 2nd T20I: Game called off at MCG after intermittent rain

Australia vs India, 2nd T20I India vs Australia Updates: So the inevitable has happened. The game has been CALLED OFF. The captains and the umpires are seen shaking hands and that will be it from this game. One can say the rain has come to the rescue of Australia as we feel it is India who would have been the favorites heading into the chase. Sad end then to what was promising to be a cracker of a run chase. India were the big favourites at the halfway stage but then the rain spiced it up. Anything could have happened with 90 needed from 11 overs or 46 needed from 5. Either ways, Australia are at least ensured that they do not lose this series. (LIVE SCORECARD | READ IN HINDI)

HIGHLIGHTS, INDIA vs AUSTRALIA, 2nd T20I LIVE FROM MELBOURNE

16.36 IST: The game has been called off at MCG as rain continued to come and go in Melbourne. 

16.26 IST: 

16.21 IST: 

16.07 IST: Oh dear, the rain is back again. The Australian players and Indian openers were out but made a U-turn as the rain pours in once again.

16.06 IST: 

16.00 IST: UPDATE - Aaron Finch and a few Indian officials are out. We are yet to get another revised target. 

15.48 IST: Rain has stopped, just waiting for the players to come out.

* Rain is getting heavier, the chase will start a bit later. 

* The rain is playing hide and seek here, it is back just as we were going to start the chase, The players make their way back in and the groundsman run out with the covers.

15.33 IST: Match shortened to 19-over-a-side due to rain after Australia score 132/7 in 19 Overs. India get a revised target of 137 (DLS).

* So runs from the lower half has given the Australian bowlers something to bowl at. However, it is India who will head into the break as he happier side. They were brilliant right from the start. After electing to field, Finch was dismissed on the very second delivery of the game. The hosts never recovered after that as they kept losing wickets at regular intervals.

15.30 IST: That is the end of the Australian innings, they won't come out to face the last six balls.

*Update - 20.41 Local time - The covers are coming off and play is likely to resume in a few minutes. Let's see if Australia will bat the last over. Scratch what I just wrote, the drizzle has returned and our wait continues.

* It did not rain for long but it was heavy rain so there is a lot of water on the covers. Seems like a repeat of the last game, do not think Australia will be batting again in this game.

* Covers started to coming off. We might see a 20-20 over match now.

* So runs from the lower half has given the Australian bowlers something to bowl at. However, it is India who will head into the break as he happier side. They were brilliant right from the start. After electing to field, Finch was dismissed on the very second delivery of the game. The hosts never recovered after that as they kept losing wickets at regular intervals.

* This was coming. The umpires now feel it has gotten too heave and have decided to walk off. That is probably the last we have seen of Australia's batting tonight. Do not think they will be coming out for the last over. However, there is no official word on that, we will keep you updated.

14.53 IST: The rain has only got heavier and the umpires have decided to stop play with Australia on 132/7 from 19 overs.

14.50 IST: Australia continue to get runs towards the end. Australia 132/7 (19 overs)

14.50 IST: FOUR! Useful runs for Australia. Full and outside off, McDermott looks to back away and drive but the ball takes the outside edge and flies past the diving keeper to the third man fence!

14.48 IST: It's pouring down at the MCG. But, the umpires have decided to go on. 

14.46 IST: FIVE WIDES! A wild bouncer, Tye misses his pull and the ball flies over Pant to the fence behind.

14.44 IST: Big over for the hosts. 19 runs from it. Australia 122/7 (18 overs)

14.44 IST: SIX! CLOBBERED! A short ball outside off, McDermott pulls this high into the evening sky, over mid-wicket! 19 from the over!

14.42 IST: FOUR! EDGED AWAY THIS TIME! Little bit of luck for Australia. Full and outside off, Tye swings hard but gets an outside edge which goes past short third man!

14.41 IST: FOUR! Fine shot. On a length outside off, Tye backs away and punches it through mid off for a boundary!

14.40 IST: Khaleel to bowl his last and the innings 18th.

14.39 IST: Just two runs off the over. Australia 103/7 (17 overs)

14.37 IST: Bumrah back on for India.

14.37 IST: Andrew Tye comes in to bat.

14.36 IST: Australia lose one more as Coulter-Nile departs after a quickfire 18. Australia 101/7 (16 overs)

14.34 IST: OUT! Big wicket for India. NCN could have hurt them. No, this is not a joke. He has looked the most confident of ALL the batters so far. He came, he saw, he entertained but could not stay long. Australia 101/7 (16 overs)

14.34 IST: SIX! BRUTAL! NCN is making a statement to his top order batters here. A short ball outside off, Coulter-Nile pulls it over mid-wicket for a biggie!

14.31 IST: Bhuvneswhar is back on for India. All pace from now on.

14.29 IST: FOUR! In a trice, NCN has become the third highest run scorer of the innings. A short ball, Coulter-Nile punches it through mid-wicket for a boundary!

14.27 IST: Kuldeep is done with his quota of four overs. Another impressive display from him. Australia 83/6 (14 overs)

14.26 IST: SIX! Ho ho! First real big hit of the match. Told you, Australia's batting starts now. Landed outside off, Coulter-Nile swings this wayyyyyyy into oblivion, high over long off!

14.25 IST: OUT! First wicket for Kuldeep as the procession continues. Floated outside off, Carey gets down to play the slog sweep but cannot quite time it well. This ground is way too big and Carey falls short. Easy catch for Krunal Pandya at deep mid-wicket. Australia 74/6 (13.1 overs)

14.23 IST: Australia need to accelerate from here. Australia 74/5 (13 overs)

14.22 IST: Melbourne is too cold for Dinesh Karthik.

14.19 IST: Another eventful over. Australia 69/5 (12 overs)

14.19 IST: FOUR! Terrific batting! Full and down the leg side, McDermott sweeps it behind square leg and gets a boundary!

14.16 IST: A wicket and eight runs off the over. Australia 62/5 (11 overs)

14.16 IST: Alex Carey is the new man in.

14.16 IST: OUT! BOWLED! Test match over for Maxwell. He was never at home at his home. Full and around off, Maxwell looks to defend but the ball goes straight on, past the willow and hits the off stump.

14.13 IST: FOUR! This time he gets the paddle right. Full and down the leg side, Maxwell paddles it through fine leg.

14.11 IST: 10 overs gone. Australia 54/4 (10 overs)

14.09 IST: Decent start from Krunal. Only six off the over. Australia 52/4 (9 overs)

14.06 IST: Krunal Pandya has been introduced into the attack.

14.06 IST: Five runs from Kuldeep's first over. Australia 46/4 (8 overs)

14.03 IST: Right! Kuldeep Yadav into the attack.

14.01 IST: One run and a wicket from the over. Australia 41/4 (7 overs)

14.00 IST: Ben McDermott comes into bat. 

13.59 IST: OUT! Another one bites the dust! A soft dismissal to be honest and India are all over the Australians here. This is short and outside off, Marcus cuts it but does not keep it down. It goes towards Karthik at sweeper cover who moves to his left and takes an easy catch. one of the saviors from the last game for Australia is walking back without making much of an impact. Australia 41/4 (6.3 overs)

13.57 IST: End of the power-play. Australia 40/3 (6 overs)

13.55 IST: FOUR! Full marks to the bowler there but runs for the batsman. Stoinis has to consider himself lucky here. This is slightly short and outside off, Marcus is into the ball a touch early, the ball takes the top edge and flies over the first slip fielder for a boundary.

13.54 IST: Marcus Stoinis comes into bat. He and Maxwell did the majority of scoring for Australia in the last game and they need to do it again.

13.54 IST: OUT! Plays it on! Another failure for Short and Australia have lost their third in the Powerplay. They are in big trouble here. Just ahead of a shorter length around off, Short looks to hoick it across the line but the ball does not bounce as he anticipated it to. The ball takes the inside edge and shatters the stumps behind. Khaleel gets his second and the move to bowl give him his third has really started off well. Australia 35/3 (5.3 overs)

13.49 IST: Seven runs including a boundary from Bumrah's first over. Australia 34/2 (5 overs)

13.49 IST: FOUR! Finds the gap this time and gets the desired result. Full and outside off, Short opens the face of the bat and drives it square on the off side. The ball races away. Good way to end the over for Australia.

13.46 IST: Jasprit Bumrah into the attack.

13.45 IST: A wicket and six runs from the over. Australia 27/2 (4 overs)

13.43 IST: OUT! In the air...taken! Lynn has thrown it away. The dropped catch has not cost India a lot. Khaleel is pumped up and why not, he was taken for a few in the last game and now, gets the big-hitting Lynn. He bowls it full and wide outside off, it is the slower one. Lynn throws his bat at it. He ends up slicing it towards deep point. Pandya there runs in and takes a good catch.

 Australia 27/2 (3.5 overs)

13.41 IST: FOUR! BRUTE! A gift, a full toss on off, Lynn smashes it over the bowler's head and the ball races away. Lynn is going after everything here.

13.36 IST: A six and two dropped catches in the over. Australia 21/1 (3 overs)

13.34 IST: DROPPED AND SIX! Kumar could have easily had two in this over. Bumrah has misjudged that badly. Lynn goes down on one knee and hits it towards fine leg. Bumrah there comes running in a little, he then realizes the ball is going over his head. He tries to catch it with a leap but the ball bursts through his hands and goes over the ropes. Lynn with a life now, how costly will these drops prove?

13.32 IST: EDGED AND DROPPED! A tough chance but you have seen those been taken. Kumar could have easily had another. Back of a length and it slants away from the batter. Short plays inside the line, the ball takes the outside edge and goes towards first slip. Pant dives full stretch to his left, he does hold onto it but the ball pops out as his elbow hits the ground. The ball rolls towards the point area and the batsmen take a run. Short gets a reprieve, maybe this is the sort of luck he needed to get back in form.

13.31 IST: 7 runs off the over including a boundary. Australia 9/1 (2 overs)

13.29 IST: FOUR! First runs off the bat for Australia. Short is off the mark in style! Fuller than the last ball and on off, Short strokes it hard towards mid off. Kohli moves to his left and dives to stop it but is not able to do so. It races away to the fence.

13.27 IST: Khaleel to open the bowling with Bhuvneswhar.

13.26 IST: A great first over from Bhuvneshwar. Just two runs off the over. Australia 2/1 (1 over)

13.23 IST: OUT! EDGED AND TAKEN! India strike on the very second delivery of the game and it is a huge wicket. The Aussie skipper bags a golden duck. The sucker ball does the trick, it is full and very wide outside off, tempting Finch to go for it. Aaron who needs no sighters, goes after it away from his body. The ball takes the outside edge and Pant takes a catch moving to his right. Ideal start for India after electing to bowl. Australia 1/1 (0. 2 overs)

13.20 IST:  D'Arcy Short and Aaron Finch to open for Australia. Bhuvneshwar has the ball for India.

13.01 IST: Playing XIs

India: Rohit Sharma, Shikhar Dhawan, Virat Kohli (C), KL Rahul, Rishabh Pant (WK), Dinesh Karthik, Krunal Pandya, Bhuvneshwar Kumar, Kuldeep Yadav, Khaleel Ahmeed, Jasprit Bumrah. Unchanged.

Australia: Aaron Finch (C), D'Arcy Short, Chris Lynn, Glenn Maxwell, Marcus Stoinis, Ben McDermott, Alex Carey (WK), Nathan Coulter-Nile, Andrew Tye, Jason Behrendorff, Adam Zampa. One change - Coulter-Nile IN, Stanlake OUT.

12.54 IST: Virat Kohli has won the toss again and India will bowl first.

12.40 IST: Rain has stopped again and the covers are coming off.

12.28 IST: Nothing confirmed yet but toss could be delayed because of the rain at the MCG now.

12.25 IST: Oh no! The rain is back and the pitch is back under the covers.

12.06 IST: Weather update: It is currently cloudy in Melbourne with a temperature of 13 degrees and a humidity of 92 per cent. There is a 58 per cent chance of rain but for now, the rain has stayed away.

12.04 IST: The pitch isn't as green at the MCG as it was at the Gabba on Wednesday.

12.01 IST: However, dropping Pandya would also mean that they will be one batsman light. So, it will be an interesting and a tough choice for the team management.

12.00 IST: India will be looking to get their combinations right in this game and that could mean Yuzvendra Chahal coming back into the side in place of Krunal Pandya.

BRIEF PREVIEW

Stung by a narrow loss in the opening encounter, India will like to reassess their playing combination while aiming for a swift turn-around when they take on Australia in the second T20I in Melbourne on Friday. 

The hosts took a 1-0 lead in the three-match series, which comprise three back-to-back matches in a short span of five days. Having won seven consecutive bilateral T20 series, Kohli and his men will certainly want to make it eight in a row and for that they may be forced to rejig both their batting and bowling combinations. (Read Full Preview Here)