Cricket Highlights, 23 Mar: India vs Australia (3rd ODI)

India vs Australia (3rd ODI)

India has not lost an ODI series on home soil for four consecutive years. Australia finally ended its reign at home. Chasing Australia’s 269 runs in the third and final ODI of the series in Chennai, Rohit Sharma’s team all got out for 248 runs in 49.1 overs. As a result, visiting Australia won the series by defeating the hosts by 2-1.  

However, the Aussies fell behind after losing the first ODI. Then Steven Smith’s team made a great comeback to the series winning by 10 wickets in the second ODI. The visitors won by 21 runs after a thrilling fight in the final ODI. With this win, Australia has overtaken India to become number one in the ICC’s ODI rankings. 

The match at the MA Chidambaram Stadium in Chennai was dominated by India initially. A little more than five and a half runs per over were needed at the start of the run chase. The opening pair of Rohit Sharma and Shubman Gill scored 65 runs in 9 overs.  After a good start, both returned to the pavilion within three overs. Rohit (30 from 17 balls) was dismissed by Sean Abbott and Shubman (37 from 49 balls) was dismissed by Adam Zampa. Virat Kohli continued to take the score sheet forward with KL Rahul for the third wicket. Zampa broke the 69-run partnership making Rahul (32) caught off Abbott.  

But with Kohli on the wicket, India was well on their way to victory. The former captain of the Men in Blues was playing as a threat for Australia by picking up the 65th fifty of his ODI career. Ashton Agar brought Australia back into the match in the 36th over. Kohli, who scored 54 runs off 72 balls, was caught by Agar at long-off while trying to play coming forward.  

Suryakumar Yadav was bowled on the next ball. With this, Suryakumar, the top batsman in the T20 ranking, made golden ducks in three consecutive matches. In the first two matches, he was trapped with an LBW by Mitchell Starc. But in this match, Suryakumar was clean-bowled by Agar. 

Australia, buoyed by Agar’s pair of wickets, did not allow India to get back into the match. Batsmen like Hardik Pandya and Ravindra Jadeja have also struggled with the spin of Zampa and Agar. Zampa led Australia to victory by getting rid of Pandya (40 from 40 balls) and Jadeja (18 from 33 balls) in two consecutive overs. The leg-spinner was also selected as the player of the match for picking up 4 wickets conceding 45 runs in 10 overs.  However, Mitchell Starc, who bowled brilliantly in the first and second ODIs, remained wicketless giving away 67 runs in this match. Spinner Ashton Agar took two wickets and Sean Abbott and Marcus Stoinis took one wicket each.  

Earlier, ten of Australia’s eleven batsmen had made double-digit scores. But no Batter could score a fifty. Australia’s batsmen could not increase the innings despite being set. Indian bowlers picked up wickets at regular intervals. Australia got all out with one over to spare. But they collected a challenging score of 269 runs.  

The Aussies got off to a good start after winning the toss and going down to bat. Despite the return of David Warner, the visitors were relying on the two openers who defeated India by 10 wickets in the previous match. Travis Head and Mitchell Marsh repaid that trust. They made an opening partnership of 68 runs off 65 balls. However, Pandya quickly picked up two more wickets sending off Head to 33 off 31 balls. Steven Smith scored none and Marsh was out for 47 off 47 balls.  David Warner, who came down at number four, was the victim of Kuldeep Yadav with 23 off 31 balls. This spinner also picked up the wicket of Marnus Labuschagne (28 off 45 balls). As a result, Australia lost 5 wickets to score 138 runs.  

Stoinis and Alex Carey put on a partnership of 58 off 54 balls for the sixth wicket. Stoinis (25 off 26) being undone off Axar Patel, the pair was broken. Still, the Australian team continued to fight. 

Carey scored 38 from 46 balls, Abbott made 26 from 23 balls, Agar got 17 from 21 balls, Starc collected 10 from 11 balls, and even number eleven batsman Zampa scored unbeaten 10 runs from 11 balls. Hardik Pandya and Kuldeep Yadav took the highest number of 3 wickets each for India. Apart from this, Axar Patel and Mohammed Siraj picked up 2 wickets each.

India vs Australia Scoreboard

Australia – 269/10 (49.0)

India – 248/10 (49.1)

Result – Australia won by 21 runs

Player of the match – Adam Zampa

Player of the series – Mitchell Marsh

Adam Zampa

India vs Australia Playing Xis