England in Australia: Dawid Malan and Sam Curran shine to help seal T20 series
England have thwarted the hopes of Australia at home. They have taken the series 2-0 with a game to spare. Australia came really close in both games but some sloppy work time and again haven’t helped them. Have they managed to find a way out to overcome these? They still have one more game to test that. England have been like a well oiled machinery but would want to come good in the next few days. The build up though is fantastic. We will keep building up to the WC as well with some nice pieces
Dawid Malan and Sam Curran starred as England edged world champions Australia by eight runs to take an unassailable 2-0 lead in their three-match Twenty20 series.
Malan smashed 82 from 49 deliveries to lead the recovery after England were reduced to 54-4 in Canberra.
He was ably supported by Moeen Ali (44) as they put on 92 for the fifth wicket to help England reach 178-7 from their 20 overs.
Curran was then the pick of the bowlers, taking 3-25, including the wicket of Tim David for 40 in a critical 18th over that tipped the game in the tourists’ favour.
The Surrey all-rounder also held onto a smart catch to remove Mitchell Marsh, who was looking well set on 45 from 29 balls, as England’s superior fielding proved the difference, with Australia only able to reach 170-6.
What made the win more impressive was the fact this was close to a full-strength Australia side, with Pat Cummins, Mitchell Starc, Adam Zampa and Josh Hazlewood restored to the bowling attack and dangerous all-rounder Glenn Maxwell back in the middle order.
It was far from the complete performance, though. Ben Stokes once again struggled with the bat while Chris Jordan and Adil Rashid were expensive with the ball.
But the ability of some players to step up when others struggle is an invaluable commodity to have with the World Cup approaching.
The final game of the three-match series takes place on Friday, again in Canberra. England then play Pakistan in a warm-up match on Monday, before opening their World Cup campaign against Afghanistan in Perth on 22 October (12:00 BST).
