India registered a series-levelling five-wicket victory over Australia in the third T20I of the five-match series at Bellerive Oval, Hobart on Sunday (November 2).
Opting to bowl first, India restricted Australia to 186/6 in 20 overs. Arshdeep Singh starred with the ball, returning with the figures of 3 for 35 in 4 overs. Jasprit Bumrah may have failed to claim a wicket but he bowled a tight spell (4-0-26-0) while Varun Chakaravarthy (2-33 in 4 overs) claimed a couple of scalps.
In reply, the Men in Blue overhauled the target in 18.3 overs, with key contributions from Washington Sundar (49* off 23), Jitesh Sharma (22* off 13), Abhishek Sharma (25 off 16) and Suryakumar Yadav (24 off 11).
After the win, India skipper Suryakumar commended his side's balanced effort with both the bat and ball, calling the Bumrah-Arshdeep combination “lethal” and lauding the new players in the playing XI for stepping up. He was also glad to have broken the streak of losing toss.
“Yes, it felt like we’d lost 19 or 20 tosses in a row, so it was great to break that streak. Winning the toss was important today, and I’m really happy with how the team performed,” Surya said at the post-match presentation ceremony.
“(On the changes working) Absolutely. Those guys were practising really hard and waiting for their chance. Washi (Washington Sundar) showed great flexibility, Jitesh contributed well, and Arshdeep was outstanding. It felt like the right combination tonight,” he added.
“Yes, they’re a fantastic pair (Bumrah and Arshdeep)- a bit like Shubman and Abhishek up top. Bumrah does his job quietly, keeps it tight, and Arshdeep capitalizes from the other end. Together, they’re a really lethal combination,” he continued.
The series is evenly poised at 1-1 with two matches still to be played. The penultimate T20I will be held at Gold Coast in Bill Pippen Oval on November 6, while the series finale will take place in Brisbane on November 8.
“It’s (series at 1-1) set up beautifully. We’re heading to a new venue, so it’ll be a fresh challenge, but the boys are confident and enjoying their cricket,” Suryakumar concluded.
