On 4 March, India defeated Australia in the semi-final of the Champions Trophy and knocked them out of the race for the final of the tournament. And, on 5 March, Australia crushed India in the International Masters League T20. In this match played in Vadodara, Australia Masters defeated India Masters by a huge margin of 95 runs. Such a big defeat was suffered when India's Masters opener and captain Sachin Tendulkar came onto the field and played a stormy innings. But, his innings could not be a foolproof answer to the centuries of Shane Watson and Ben Dunk.
Batting first in the match, Australia Masters scored 269 runs for 1 wicket in 20 overs. The batting of Shane Watson and Ben Dunk played a major role in reaching such a big score. Both these batsmen scored centuries in the match. Opening the innings, Shane Watson scored 110 runs in 52 balls with the help of 7 sixes and 12 fours. Ben Dunk, who came to bat first down, scored an unbeaten 132 runs in 53 balls, which included 10 sixes and 12 fours.
That means, out of the 269 runs made by Australia Masters, 242 runs came from the bats of Watson and Dunk alone, in which both of them together hit 17 sixes and 24 fours. They did this when the team's first wicket fell at just 33 runs. But, after that, the team's other wickets fell. If something was seen happening from Australia Masters' side on the field, then it was beating the bowlers of India Masters, fireworks of runs, and 2 brilliant centuries.
Now India Masters had a big target of 270 runs, to chase which Naman Ojha came out with captain Sachin Tendulkar. After making a half-century partnership, Ojha got out. But Sachin Tendulkar's attack on Australia's Masters bowlers continued. The result was that Sachin completed his fifty in just 27 balls. Such a stormy half-century at the age of 51 speaks of Sachin's ability. However, after scoring a half-century, Sachin did not stay on the crease for long. His total innings lasted only 33 balls, in which he scored 64 runs with 4 sixes and 7 fours.
With Sachin's wicket, the defeat of his team India Masters was also ensured. The entire team of India Masters was all out for 174 runs while chasing the target of 270 runs and lost the match by 95 runs.
