Gill and Iyer belt tons as India crush Australia in rain-hit ODI

INDORE, India: India batsmen Shubman Gill and Shreyas Iyer scored centuries to lay the platform for a 99-run win over Australia in their rain-hit second one-day international (ODI) in Indore on Sunday (Sep 24) that sealed a 2-0 series victory ahead of the World Cup.

A revised victory target of 317 in 33 overs following a rain interruption left Australia facing a daunting task and they ran out of steam after David Warner's departure for a defiant half-century, as India prevailed via the Duckworth-Lewis method.

Spinner Ravichandran Ashwin, playing in only his second ODI this year, got rid of Australia's dangerous batsmen to end with 3-41 after pace bowler Prasidh Krishna's early double strike.

Asked to bat first on a good Holkar Stadium wicket by stand-in Australia captain Steve Smith, top-ranked India posted a huge 399-5 in 50 overs as opener Gill continued his superb form with a fifth ton this year and sixth overall.

The 24-year-old began cautiously but built momentum to make 104 off 97 balls, with six fours and four sixes, while Iyer gave him good company with 105 from 90 balls as the pair tore into the Australian attack without rested skipper Pat Cummins.

Iyer's third century in the format will be a huge confidence boost after the 28-year-old missed the Indian Premier League and the World Test Championship final earlier this year with a lower back injury that required surgery.

He also missed much of India's triumphant Asia Cup campaign with a back spasm but showed he was in fine fettle heading into the World Cup on home soil next month, with 11 fours and three sixes in a controlled 200-run second-wicket stand with Gill.

Home skipper KL Rahul made a steady 52 in the middle overs before Suryakumar Yadav heaped the misery on