India clinch thriller to complete sweep over Aussies
SYDNEY: Shane Watson’s unbeaten hundred could not prevent Australia falling to a seven-wicket defeat to India in the third and final Twenty20 match yesterday as Suresh Raina hit a four on the last ball to complete a 3-0 clean sweep in the series.
India were chasing 198 to win and needed 17 runs in the final over as Yuvraj Singh hit a four and a six off the first two balls from paceman Andrew Tye and Raina hit the final ball through point with his team needing two.
All-rounder Watson, leading Australia in the absence of the injured Aaron Finch, powered the hosts to 197-5 with an unbeaten 124 after winning the toss and opting to bat.
Australia made five changes to the side that lost the last match in Melbourne to concede an unassailable 2-0 lead in the series, handing debuts to batsman Usman Khawaja and part-time wicketkeeper Cameron Bancroft.
Watson, named player of the match, was the fulcrum around which the hosts’ batting revolved and it was due to his 71-ball knock, which was studded with 10 fours and six sixes, that Australia posted a strong total.
India replied with half-centuries from inform opener Rohit Sharma (52) and Virat Kohli (50), who was named the player of the series, and then Raina’s 25-ball 49 to chase down the steep target.
Rohit and Shikhar Dhawan got India off to a rollicking start, scoring 46 in just 3.2 overs, with fast bowler Shaun Tait going for 24 runs in the third over.
Rohit and Kohli then added 78 for the second wicket to keep India strongly on course, before both batsmen fell to leg spinner Cameron Boyce.
Yuvraj, who did not get an opportunity to bat in the last two matches, was sent in ahead of captain Mahendra Singh Dhoni at number five and though the left-hander struggled initially to put bat on ball, he produced the goods when his team needed.
Raina and Yuvraj added 53 for the unbroken fourth wicket.
The 3-0 sweep in Australia took India to the top of the T20 rankings in a timely boost ahead of the World Twenty20 at home from March 8-April 3. —Reuters
SCOREBOARD
Completed scoreboard in the third ODI between New Zealand and Pakistan in Auckland yesterday:
Azhar Ali c Guptill b Henry 3 Ahmed Shehzad c Guptill b Boult 12 Mohammad Hafeez c Milne b Santner 76 Babar Azam c Guptill b Henry 83 Shoaib Malik c Ronchi b Boult 32 Sarfraz Ahmed c Ronchi b Milne 41 Mohammad Rizwan run out (Elliott) 16 Wahab Riaz c Guptill b Anderson 11 Mohammad Amir c Ronchi b Milne 1 Rahat Ali c Ronchi b Milne 0 Mohammad Irfan not out 0 Extras (w14, nb1) 15 Total (10 wickets; 47.3 overs) 290 Fall of wickets: 1-16 (Shehzad), 2-20 (Azhar Ali), 3-154 (Hafeez), 4-215 (Malik), 5-227 (Babar), 6-256 (Rizwan), 7-279 (Riaz), 8-284 (Amir), 9284 (Rahat Ali), 10-290 (Ahmed) Bowling: Boult 9-0-60-2 (w3, nb1), Henry 10-0-44-2 (w3), Anderson 40-26-1 (w1), Santner 5-0-56-1 (w1), Milne 9.3-0-49-3 (w2), Elliott 10-055-0
Martin Guptill c Hafeez b Azhar 82 Brendon McCullum c Irfan b Amir 0 Kane Williamson st Sarfraz Ahmed b Azhar 84 Henry Nicholls lbw Amir 5 Grant Elliott c Babar b Malik 10 Corey Anderson c Babar b Irfan 35 Luke Ronchi b Riaz 20 Mitchell Santner not out 10 Adam Milne not out 0 Extras (lb5, w14) 19 Total (7 wickets; 42.4 overs) 265 Fall of wickets: 1-6 (McCullum), 2-165 (Guptill), 3-180 (Williamson), 4188 (Nicholls), 5-210 (Elliott), 6-253 (Ronchi), 7-256 (Anderson) Did not bat: Matt Henry, Trent Boult Bowling: Irfan 8-0-60-1 (w5), Amir 9-0-39-2 (w2), Rahat Ali 7-0-54-0 (w2), Wahab Riaz 8.4-0-51-1 (w3), Shoaib Malik 3-0-19-1, Azhar Ali 70-37-2 (w2) Toss: Pakistan Result: New Zealand by three wickets (D/L method).