India beat Australia in last-ball Twenty20 thriller, win T20I series 3-0

www.mangaloretoday.com

Sydney, Jan 31, 2016: India chased down an imposing target of 198 runs to inflict a 3-0 series whitewash on Australia, winning the third and final T20 International by seven wickets here on Sunday.

In a pulsating match, India needed 17 runs off the last over and two off the last ball, Suresh Raina (49 runs off 25 balls) completed the task by hitting a boundary.

Opener Rohit Sharma (52 off 38), Virat Kohli (50 off 36) also contributed to India’s victory.

Earlier, opener Shane Watson scored a superb unbeaten century (127) to guide Australia to a strong total of 197/5.

Watson hit the Indian bowlers to all corners of the Sydney Cricket Ground in his 71-ball knock, with 10 boundaries and six sixes.

India have moved from No. 8 at the start of this series to No. 1 after this whitewash. So they are No. 1 in both Tests and T20Is.
Credit to Bumrah too for those tight overs in the end when Australia looked like could go well past 200. Yet another first-innings centurion ends up on the losing side. Not sure you could ask Watson to do much more. Scored an unbeaten century, took a wicket in his first over, captained the side, and conceded just five in the 19th over and also left Yuvraj on strike for the final over.

At the start of the 20th over, India needed 17 runs and Yuvraj was 5 off 9 and still googling the middle of his bat. Then he got two length balls on the pads and he hit a four and six in first two deliveries.