Sydney: Australian bowlers held their nerves to come up trumps against the genius of Virat Kohli (85, 61b, 4×4, 3×6) in the third T20I here Tuesday. The Australians finally prevented an Indian clean-sweep with a 12-run victory. Andrew Tye finally ended Virat Kohli’s innings to ensure victory for his side.
India won the shortest format 2-1. However, it was overall an even result for the two teams which won three white-ball games each. Tuesday’s loss ended the visitors’ 10-match winning streak in the format.
Kohli got as many as four reprieves. He and cashed in well enough but as soon as he was dismissed in the 19th over, India’s hopes disappeared. India ended on 174 for the loss of seven wickets in their pursuit of 187 in 20 overs. It was a slash drive off Tye in the penultimate over that led to Kohli’s dismissal. However credit must be given to Daniel Sams for the catch. He plucked the ball inches off the ground.
An over before that Hardik Pandya’s (20, 13b, 1×4, 2×6) swagger was checked by Adam Zampa (1/21). Zampa’s leg-break turned enough to force the ‘Baroda Bomber’ to hit one against the turn and be caught at short third-man.
Once Pandya was gone, there was too much pressure on Kohli and this was one rare occasion when he failed to take the team home.
The Indian captain scored his third half century of the tour and an effortless six off Abbott after the completion of the milestone gave much-needed relief to the Indian dug-out. This was after Mitchell Swepson’s (3/23) innocuous leg-breaks reduced them to 100 for four.
Swepson would be the first to admit that he was lucky to dismiss Shikhar Dhawan (28) with a half-tracker and ever unreliable Sanju Samson (10) with a low full-toss. The only wicket-taking delivery he bowled was the one that got Shreyas Iyer out for a first-ball duck.
Earlier, Mathew Wade’s (80, 53b, 7×4, 2×6) second consecutive half century was well-complemented by Glen Maxwell’s (54, 36b, 3×4, 3×6) blazing strokeplay as Australia posted a competitive 186 for five after being put into bat.
India’s bowling heroes were Washington Sundar (2/34) and Thangarasu Natarajan (1/33). Natarajan, despite a few boundaries conceded in the final over, was pretty impressive.
The Australian innings largely dominated by Wade’s power-hitting after Sundar got rid of Aaron Finch (0) very cheaply. The wicketkeeper-batsman was quick to bring out his pull-shot and the whipped flick whenever anything was pitched in the arc.
Wade was the dominant partner during the 65-run stand with a scratchy Steve Smith (24) but played the second fiddle once Maxwell got his touch back.
Brief scores: Australia 186 for 5 (Mathew Wade 80, Glenn Maxwell 54, Washington Sundar 2/34) beat India 174 for seven (Virat Kohli 85, Mitchell Swepson 3/23) by 12 runs.
