On the back of Virat Kohli's scintillating strokeplay and Suryakumar Yadav's batting pyrotechnics, Team India defeated Australia by six wickets in the third and final T20I in Hyderabad on September 25 (Sunday) and clinched the three-match series by a margin of 2-1. The Men in Blue, who had lost the opening match of the series, fashioned a remarkable comeback win.
Kohli (63 off 48 balls) and Suryakumar (69 off 36 balls) shared a 104-run partnership to lay the platform for the Indian victory. India won the three-match series 2-1. Cameron Green (52) scored upfront while Tim David (54) provided the final flourish as Australia posted 186 for six after being invited to bat.
With the pitch offering grip and turn, Axar Patel(3/33) picked three wickets, while also executing a sensational run out.
Chasing 187, India didn’t have the best of starts as openers KL Rahul (1) and Rohit Sharma (17) were out inside the first four overs. But Kohli and Suryakumar batted with authority, hitting boundaries and sixes at regular intervals to keep the required run rate in check as Australian bowlers struggled to find answers.
Hardik Pandya (25 not out) finished the game with a boundary towards the third-man region and ensure the Men in Blue clinch a confidence-boosting series win against the Baggy Green ahead of the T20 World Cup.
After Rohit was presented with the trophy, he handed the glittering silverware to the eldest member of India's playing squad, Dinesh Karthik. Soon after, Hardik was seen poking fun at the veteran wicketkeeper-batter and forcing him to hold the trophy for the pictures.
Watch the video here:
Rohit and Karthik have given a ton of light moments to fans during this series. From Rohit embracing Karthik after the win in the 2nd T20I to Rohit shaking the wicket-keeper in the first T20I, as if asking him to be more focussed.
Rohit Sharma and his brigade will now face South Africa in a three-match T20I series, with the first match scheduled to be played on September 28 (Wednesday). It will be India's last bilateral T20I series before the marquee T20 World Cup in Australia.
(With PTI Inputs)
