India clinch thriller to complete sweep over Australia

Indias next assignment is in Pune against Sri Lanka on February 9.

Starting out the chase, the Indian openers made a blistering start, scoring 46 runs off 3.3 overs.

Opening batsman Vellaswamy Vanitha top-scored with a 25-ball 28, which was laced with three boundaries and a six, while Harmanpreet Kaur (24) was the next notable contributor as the Indians gathered runs at a brisk pace but at the same time, kept losing wickets.

The pair of Kohli and Sharma pulverised the Oz bowlers and added 78 runs for the second wicket to lead India’s batting charge. The way the schedules work nowadays, it’s almost impossible to get your best team out everytime you play.

Australia debutant Cameron Bancroft missed the chance to stump Raina two balls later and that proved costly as, although Boyce struck again to dismiss Kohli, India came out on top once more.

“I am hoping it will not keep me out for a lengthy period of time, especially with an ICC World Twenty20 on the horizon, but I will be guided by the specialists”, he said.

India skipper Mahendra Singh Dhoni is very impressed with the extraordinary performance of the players in the recently concluded 3 match T20 series with Australia.

Earlier, Watson hammered 124 off just 71 balls, including 10 fours and six sixes, after he chose to bat on a dry pitch full of runs. Kohli hit scores of 90 not out, 59 not out and 50 in the series to gain 47 ratings points and move ahead of Australia’s Aaron Finch.

Watson made India pay as he hit two sixes off left-arm spinner Ravindra Jadeja and one off Ashwin before completing his maiden hundred in 58 balls.

Watson and Khawaja (14) then opened the innings against Ashish Nehra (1-32) and Jasprit Bumrah (1-43), and got off to a blistering start.

For his all-round showing, Shane Watson, the Australian captain who was named the man of the match, emerged as the highest impact player of the match.

Shane Watson replaces the injured Aaron Finch, who damaged his left hamstring during the 27-run loss at the Melbourne Cricket Ground on Friday evening. Extras: (LB-2, W-4, NB-2) 8. Fall of wickets: 1-16, 2-69, 3-75, 4-168, 5-193.

Half centuries to Rohit Sharma and Virat Kohli laid a solid foundation before Sudesh Raina and Yuvraj Singh displayed nerves of steel to finish the job and smash 17 off Andrew Tye’s final over to reach 3-200 for victory.

Shaun Marsh and Glenn Maxwell fell for single-figure scores, before Travis Head (26 off 19 balls) and Chris Lynn (13 off nine) provided some useful lower-order support.