Washington Sundar strengthened his credentials as a T20 finisher as India, batting in top gear throughout, comfortably chased down 187 to seal a series-levelling five-wicket win over Australia in Hobart on Sunday.
Before this defeat, Australia had never lost a Twenty20 International at the Ninja Oval, formerly called Bellerive Oval.
After the visitors decided to bat, Tim David (74 off 38) hammered the Indian bowling attack to take Australia to 186/6.
India was expected to overhaul the target with their firepower, but Nathan Ellis (3/36) made their task more difficult with his crisp and challenging spells. In the end, India won in 18.3 overs.
Before captain Suryakumar Yadav (24 off 11), Tilak Varma (29 off 26), Axar Patel (17 off 12), and Sundar (49 not out off 23) contributed, Abhishek Sharma (25 off 16) once again blasted a barrage of boundaries during the powerplay.
In his first match of the series, Jitesh Sharma (22 not out off 12) gained crucial time in the middle and completed the task with Sundar.
With most of his sixes coming in the cow corner area, Washington—a power hitter who is sometimes underappreciated—showed that he can use the long handle well.
India’s task was also made much simpler by Josh Hazlewood’s absence from the opposing camp as the bowler is now concentrating on the Ashes.
Australian bowlers were unable to put the Indians to the test sufficiently, with the exception of Ellis, who worried the Indian hitters with short balls at express pace.
On November 6, the Gold Coast will host the fourth Twenty20 encounter of the five-match series.
Arshdeep Singh, who returned to the team and struck twice in a two-over period, helped India get off to a strong start after they opted to bowl in nippy conditions. He was named Player of the Match for his effort.
In his opening match of the series, India’s top wicket-taker in the format dismissed Josh Inglis and the dangerous Travis Head, leaving Australia at 14/2.
But David (74 off 38) countered India’s early lead with a masterful display of power-hitting, striking every Indian bowler. One of his five sixes was a slap over cover off Axar Patel, while the other four came down the ground.
The seasoned Marcus Stoinis (64 off 39) went on the attack after his expulsion to help Australia reach a competitive total.
David just wanted to dominate, whether it was the unmatched Jasprit Bumrah or the enigmatic Varun Chakaravarthy.
When Washington Sundar dropped David at point off Bumrah, he was given a reprieve while batting on 20. Despite the fact that the ball actually flew in his direction, it was a regulation catch.
With both David and Stoinis taking Shivam Dube to the cleaners, India missed the services of injured all-rounder Hardik Pandya.
Washington was the team’s sixth bowling option, but India went with Abhishek Sharma’s left-arm spin, and he ended up conceding 13 runs in his single over. The lack of left-handers at the crease at that particular moment had much to do with it.
Mitchell Marsh and Mitchell Owen were dismissed in consecutive balls by Chakravarthy, who slowed down the scoring pace following Arshdeep’s dual strike during the powerplay. Flicked through the fingers, the delivery that was on its way to Owen was a peach. The visitors’ innings was effectively finished by Arshdeep and Bumrah.
