HYDERABAD: India won the third and deciding Twenty20 against Australia in the last over after punchy half centuries by Virat Kohli and Suryakumar Yadav on Sunday. The hosts won by six wickets with one ball remaining after Hardik Pandya, unbeaten on 25, hit the winning boundary.

Kohli and Yadav put on a century stand to stabilise the innings after India lost both openers Rohit Sharma (17) and K.L. Rahul (1) early in their chase after Australia scored 186-7.

Yadav hit five boundaries and as many sixes in a 36-ball 69 and was looking unstoppable until he fell to Josh Hazlewood, with Kohli then taking over as he hit 63 runs off 48. Pandya kept his cool while facing a relentless Australian attack after Kohli’s dismissal in the final over with India still five short of victory and wrapped up the win with a boundary off Daniel Sams. Put in to bat, impressive fifties by Tim David and Cameron Green took Australia to a formidable score.

Rookie opener Green hit a 21-ball 52, with seven fours and three sixes, to put the hosts on the defensive. But Green received little support from other top-order batters as left-arm spinner Axar Patel, who has been India’s best bowler in the three-match series, chipped away at the other end. Patel finished with 3-33 and took the key wickets of skipper Aaron Finch (7), Josh Inglis (24) and in-form Matthew Wade (1).

Published in The Daily National Courier, September, 27 2022

Like Business on Facebook, follow @DailyNCourier on Twitter to stay informed and join in the conversation.