Did Washington's 49 Propel India to a Series Leveling Win Over Australia in the 3rd T20I?
Synopsis
Key Takeaways
- Washington Sundar played a crucial role with his unbeaten 49.
- India leveled the series at 1-1.
- Australia suffered their first T20I defeat at Hobart in six matches.
- India's batting depth proved pivotal in the chase.
- Tim David and Marcus Stoinis were key performers for Australia.
Hobart, Nov 2 (NationPress) In a thrilling encounter, all-rounder Washington Sundar rose to the occasion, scoring an impressive 49 runs off just 23 deliveries without taking the ball himself, leading India to a five-wicket victory over Australia in the third T20I at the Bellerive Oval on Sunday.
Chasing a target of 187, India’s top order showed promise, but it was Sundar’s explosive finishing that clinched the match with nine balls remaining, leveling the five-match series at 1-1. This defeat marked Australia's first loss in six T20 Internationals at Hobart.
India launched their chase aggressively, with Abhishek displaying excellent form by hitting Xavier Bartlett for a six and then dispatching Sean Abbott for two fours and a six. However, the tide turned when Nathan Ellis struck twice in quick succession, dismissing both Abhishek and Shubman Gill.
With the openers back in the pavilion, Suryakumar Yadav attempted to stabilize the innings, hitting Ellis and Abbott for six each before falling to Marcus Stoinis. Axar Patel then followed suit, caught by a bouncer from Ellis.
Sundar's onslaught began with a massive six over mid-wicket off Ellis, followed by a boundary against Matthew Kuhnemann. He turned the game around by scoring 19 runs in one over from Sean Abbott, including a stunning whip over square leg for six.
Australia tried to regain control when Tilak Varma was dismissed off a top edge. Nonetheless, Sundar continued to press on, clearing backward square leg effortlessly before Jitesh Sharma finished the chase with a spectacular lofted drive over extra cover.
Brief Scores: Australia 186/6 in 20 overs (Tim David 74, Marcus Stoinis 64; Arshdeep Singh 3-35, Varun Chakaravarthy 2-33) lost 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 five wickets.