As the curtain falls on the three-match ODI series of India versus Australia, India beat Australia by 13 runs in their final ODI at Manuka Oval. The credit of the victory goes extensively to the bowlers who crushed the batting line-up of the hosts, dismissing all the ten wickets. Eventually restricting them to 289 runs with four more balls to go, preventing them from reaching the target of 303 runs. However, Australia takes the series by 2-1.
Unlike the previous two matches, India was fortuitous in winning the toss today. And considering the conditions to be favorable, skipper Virat Kohli opted to bat first. Without faltering, the visitors succeeded in setting up a decent target of 303 runs. Hardik Pandya and Ravindra Jadeja were the knights in the shining armor for the team. The two of them registered 92* off 76 balls and 66* off 50 balls respectively. The contribution of the two batsmen doubled India’s score after the 32 overs when they were at 152 runs at a loss of 5 wickets. It was a major climacteric during India’s inning. Apart from them, skipper Kohli also completed his half-century scoring 63 runs.
Bowlers finally regain form
T Natarajan couldn’t have wished for a better debut than this. The left-arm medium-fast bowler clinched 2 important wickets for the team in the form of Marcus Labuschagne and Ashton Agar. Shardul Thakur was as impressive as the bowler scalped 3 wickets for his side.
Australian skipper Aaron Finch and Glenn Maxwell were the major contributors while chasing the target set by the Men in Blue. Finch scored a spectacular 75 runs and it totally seemed like they had hold of the match, but Ravindra Jadeja ended his reign at 25.3 overs. Maxwell played a brilliant knock of 59 runs of 38 balls, smashing 4 sixes and 3 fours, and seemed unstoppable. Even then, the swashbuckling player succumbed to Jasprit Bumrah’s fiery Yorker, who was fixated on sending him back to the pavilion. Bumrah’s attacks were a constant reminder throughout the Australian inning that he was back in his tough form. The pacer lost the opportunity to take the wicket of Finch by a whisker. However, he was successful in dismissing Zampa in the last overs.
All in all, it was a power-packed performance from both sides, with the teams giving each other a tough competition. The two teams will next lock horns in the three-match T20I series that kickstarts on December 4.
