Though all-rounder Washington Sundar did not get to bowl, he stepped up when it mattered most to smash an unbeaten 49 off 23 balls as India defeated Australia by 5 wickets within the third T20I on the Bellerive Oval on Sunday.
Chasing 187, India’s high seven contributed in patches, however it was Sundar’s late flourish, laced with three fours and 4 sixes, that sealed the win for India with 9 balls remaining and leveled the five-match sequence 1-1. The end result additionally marked Australia’s first defeat in six T20 Internationals at Hobart.
Regardless of Nathan Ellis’ three-wicket haul, Australia could not halt India’s momentum within the closing phases. Arshdeep Singh additionally performed a vital function in India’s victory by hanging early and sustaining the strain on to choose a three-fer, as Australia scored 186/6, due to Tim David’s 74 and Marcus Stoinis’ 64.
India started their chase with intent, as Abhishek appeared in fluent contact to slice Xavier Bartlett for six, earlier than carting Sean Abbott for 2 fours and a six. However the momentum shifted when Nathan Ellis struck twice in fast succession – Abhishek mistimed a pull and the top-edge was caught by the keeper, whereas Shubman Gill was trapped lbw.
With each openers again within the hut, Suryakumar Yadav started stabilizing the innings by hitting Ellis and Abbott for a six every, earlier than slicing off Matthew Kuhnemann for a boundary. However Suryakumar fell within the eighth over when he chipped a slower ball from Marcus Stoinis to further cowl. 4 overs later, Axar Patel fell when he was cramped for room by a bouncer from Nathan Ellis and top-edged a pull to mid-wicket.
Amidst all this, Sundar’s onslaught started by clobbering Ellis over mid-wicket for six, earlier than pulling Matthew Kuhnemann for a boundary. He then turned the tide in India’s favor by taking 19 runs off Sean Abbott within the 14th over – a tennis-style swat for 4 by deep further cowl was adopted by a robust whip over sq. leg for six and pulling a brief ball for one more most.
Australia bounced again when Tilak Varma appeared to scoop, however acquired it off the highest edge and gave a easy catch to the keeper off Bartlett. With Jitesh Sharma scooping and driving for his boundaries, Sundar swung laborious to clear backward sq. leg for six, earlier than smashing a full toss from Stoinis over the bowler’s head for 4. Jitesh completed off the chase in fashion with a lofted drive over further cowl.
Beforehand, David’s explosive knock got here off 38 balls, that includes eight fours and 5 sixes. Stoinis stored the momentum going by hitting eight fours and two sixes throughout his 39-ball innings. Whereas a returning Arshdeep took 3-35, Varun Chakaravarthy claimed 2-33. Arshdeep and Jasprit Bumrah delivered a masterclass of yorkers and low full tosses to concede solely 16 runs within the closing two overs.
Australia’s innings began with Travis Head swiping Arshdeep for 4, however he then mis-hit a swat-pull to mid-off on the very subsequent ball. Arshdeep struck once more when Josh Inglis pulled straight to square-leg. Promoted to quantity 4, David’s intent was evident from the beginning – driving and lofting Arshdeep and Jasprit Bumrah for boundaries.
He then dispatched Chakaravarthy for a six and a 4 within the spinner’s first over, earlier than being given a reprieve on 20 when Washington Sundar dropped a pointy likelihood at level off Bumrah. After lofting Bumrah for one more boundary, David greeted Axar Patel with two sixes – the second of which was a colossal 129m hit that went on high of the stadium’s roof.
He then pounced on Shivam Dube’s deliveries to hit a brace of boundaries, earlier than reaching a speedy half-century off simply 23 balls by slicing the all-rounder by backward level for 4. Nevertheless, Chakaravarthy shifted the momentum for India with a double strike within the ninth over, dismissing Marsh and Mitchell Owen on successive balls.
Whereas Marsh, struggling to seek out his rhythm, mistimed a lofted shot to long-off off a slower supply, Owen lasted only one ball as Chakaravarthy bowled a slower ball that turned sharply from outdoors off, and he went previous his lower to rattle the center stump. Nevertheless, David retaliated by smashing the World No. 1 bowler for 2 sixes.
Stoinis joined the boundary-hitting social gathering by pulling and flicking Shivam Dube for consecutive sixes. However the seamer had the final snigger as David mistimed to long-off, who held onto the possibility.
Stoinis and Matthew Quick hit three boundaries every to take Australia previous 150, earlier than the previous obtained a reprieve when a low diving catch by substitute Rinku Singh was proven to have made contact with the bottom. Regardless of Stoinis falling within the closing over when he flicked to Rinku at deep mid-wicket off Arshdeep, Australia managed to cross the 180-mark.
Temporary Scores: Australia 186/6 in 20 overs (Tim David 74, Marcus Stoinis 64; Arshdeep Singh 3-35, Varun Chakaravarthy 2-33) misplaced to India 188/5 in 18.3 overs (Washington Sundar 49 not out, Tilak Varma 29; Nathan Ellis 3-36, Marcus Stoinis 1-22) by 5 wickets.