Indore: All-rounder Hardik Pandya (78, 72b, 5×4, 4×6) scored a fluent half century to guide India to an emphatic five-wicket win over Australia in the third ODI here, Sunday. As a result, India sealed the five-match series 3-0, with two matches to go.
Chasing 294 runs, Indian openers Ajinkya Rahane (70, 76b, 9×4) and Rohit Sharma (71, 62b, 6×4, 4×6) provided a brilliant start, adding 139 runs in just 21.4 overs before the latter miscuing a shot ball off Nathan Coulter-Nile (1/58) to be caught at deep mid-wicket. Pat Cummins (2/54) then removed Rahane after a couple of overs.
With skipper Virat Kohli (28) at the crease, unexpectedly Pandya was promoted up the order, in place of struggling Manish Pandey. Pandya made his intentions clear with a six off Ashton Agar (1/71), facing the fourth ball of his innings.
The duo played sensible cricket and added 56 runs for the third wicket before Kohli mishit an inside-out shot off an Agar delivery that eventually ended up in the hands of Aaron Finch at long off region.
Newman Kedar Jadhav also didn’t last long. Pandya and Pandey (36 n o, 32b, 6×4) then kept the scores moving with a 78-run stand for the fifth wicket before the Mumbai Indians all-rounder got out. Then Pandey and MS Dhoni finished the things off.
Earlier, Finch (124, 125b, 12×4, 5×6), playing his first game of the series, struck a fluent century before India bounced back in the last 10 overs to restrict Australia to 293 for six.
Finch, who replaced young Hilton Cartright after recovering from a calf injury, made an instant impact with a classy ton after skipper Steve Smith won the toss for the first time in the series and elected to bat.
The Australians exploited the flat Holkar track as Finch added 70 runs for the opening wicket with David Warner (42, 44b, 4×4, 1×6) and raised a 154-run partnership with Smith (63, 71b, 5×4) for the second wicket.
Indian bowlers hardly troubled the Australians as Kuldeep Yadav (2/75) and Yuzvendra Chahal (1/54) largely remained ineffective.
However, the hosts staged a remarkable comeback in the last 10 overs of the game after the fall of Finch, giving away just 59 runs and taking four wickets.
The stage was set for Australia to go for the kill, being placed 234 for two in 40 overs, but they failed miserably. They could never get the fillip, which was there to take after a stupendous start even as Marcus Stoinis (27 n o, 28b, 1×4, 1×6) took the side close to 300. Bhuvneshwar Kumar (0/52) and Jasprit Bumrah (2/52) bowled well at the death.
Brief scores: Australia 293/6 (Aaron Finch 124, Steve Smith 63; Jasprit Bumrah 2/52) lost to India 294/5 (Hardik Pandya 78, Rohit Sharma 71, Ajinkya Rahane 70; Pat Cummins 2/54) by five wickets.
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