Australia had initially restricted India to just 167 runs, thanks to excellent bowling from Nathan Ellis and Adam Zampa. However, India’s spinners made the chase nearly impossible for the Australians. Axar Patel and Shivam Dube broke through the top order, before Washington Sundar’s magical bowling left Australia in tatters, securing India a 49-run victory.
With this win, India now lead the series 2-1 going into the fourth T20 match.
Australia’s chase of 168 started well, with them reaching 67 for 1 in the ninth over, putting them in a strong position. However, the spin trio of Dube, Varun Chakravarthy, and Axar Patel turned the game around, as Australia lost 6 wickets for just 103 runs. When 54 runs were needed off 24 balls, Washington Sundar was brought into the attack in the 17th over. On the fourth ball, he trapped Marcus Stoinis (17) LBW. The very next ball, he claimed Xavier Bartlett’s wicket with a return catch, creating the opportunity for a hat-trick. Washington then claimed the final Australian wicket, sealing the match for India.
In a remarkable spell, Washington took 3 wickets for just 3 runs off 1.2 overs, delivering his career-best figures as Australia were bowled out for 119 in 18.2 overs.
Apart from openers Mitchell Marsh (30) and Matthew Short (25), no Australian batsman could settle at the crease.
Key Performances:
| Player | Runs | Wickets | Overs Bowled |
|---|---|---|---|
| Washington Sundar | 0 | 3 wickets | 1.2 |
| Axar Patel | 21* | 2 wickets | 4 |
| Shivam Dube | 0 | 2 wickets | 2 |
| Abhishek Sharma | 28 | N/A | N/A |
| Adam Zampa | 0 | 3 wickets | 4 |
| Nathan Ellis | 0 | 3 wickets | 4 |
India, batting first, made a strong start with their opening partnership. The pair of Abhishek Sharma and Shubman Gill put on 56 runs by the seventh over, but the partnership was broken soon after. Gill fell just 4 runs short of a half-century, and Abhishek top-scored with 28. Axar Patel played a vital cameo towards the end, helping India set a challenging target.
Ellis and Zampa were the pick of the bowlers for Australia, with both claiming 3 wickets each. Zampa was the most expensive, conceding 45 runs from his 4 overs. Axar Patel was named the Player of the Match for his all-round performance.