RAJKOT, Sep 27: Australia avoided an unprecedented series whitewash after registering a 66-run victory over India in the third ODI here on Wednesday.
Chasing a massive 353 to win, India were restricted by Australia to 286 in 49.4 overs. India however won the three-match series 2-1.
David Warner, Mitchell Marsh, Steven Smith and Marnus Labuschagne smashed fifties as Australia scored 352/7 in 50 overs against India in the final ODI of the three-game series at the SCA stadium in Rajkot on Wednesday.
Electing to bat first on a flat pitch and scorching heat requiring for the drinks to be carried on the field, the top-four batters making fifties would have pleased the Australians ahead of the next month’s World Cup.
Warner made a quick 34-ball 56, his third consecutive fifty of this series.
It was followed by Marsh top-scoring with 96 off 84 balls and Smith making 74 off 61 balls.
Though India fought back at the end after being taken for plenty of runs, Labuschagne batted through others collapsing around him to make 72 off 58 balls.
His efforts took Australia to a mammoth score which is also the highest 50-over total at this venue, though they would rue out on a chance to get a score above 400, which was a possibility at one point. It will be interesting to see how India chase down 353, especially with no Shubman Gill in the match.
For India, Jasprit Bumrah took three wickets though he was expensive, while Kuldeep Yadav struck back with two crucial scalps to stop the Australian acceleration. Mohammed Siraj and Prasidh Krishna took a wicket each while Washington Sundar gave away only 47 runs in his 10 overs.
Australia saved their best for the last as Indian middle-order wilted under pressure exerted by part-time off-spin of Glenn Maxwell, losing the third ODI by 66 runs here on Wednesday.
India were cruising along at 171 for 2, chasing a stiff target of 353 on a placid track but the middle-order crumbled in chase with Maxwell (4/40) getting crucial breakthroughs to restrict the hosts to 286 in 49.4 overs.
Skipper Rohit Sharma (81) and Virat Kohli (56 off 61 balls) struck fifties to provide the middle-order with a perfect platform in the big chase, but the rest floundered to hand Australia the advantage.
Rohit and Kohli went about their jobs unchallenged for the better part of their stand, but their association came to an abrupt end in the 21st over when Maxwell, taking an evasive action on a powerful shot from the India skipper, ended up catching the ball one-handed.
Maxwell continued to make inroads as this time he got the key wicket of Kohli, who, looking to clear Steve Smith at midwicket, got a top edge, which was collected by the fielder running behind.
During the chase, Rohit clobbered six sixes and five fours to race to 81 from 57 balls and recorded his ninth fifty against Australia and 53rd overall, while Kohli, who looked good for his 48th ODI ton had to settle for 66th half-century.
The two batters put on 70 for the second wicket and took India close to the 150-run mark by the 21st over, but after Rohit and Kohli were dismissed, the others fumbled collectively.
Despite a set platform to take the mantle, India’s middle-order stuttered which allowed Australia to grab control.
KL Rahul added 52 runs with Iyer for the fourth wicket but fell to Starc after a 30-ball 26 and Suryakumar Yadav (8) pulled one short from Hazlewood to Maxwell.
Maxwell then cleaned up Iyer for a 43-ball 48 (1x4s, 2x6s) and Hazlewood had Kuldeep Yadav chop one onto his wickets.
Ravindra Jadeja scored 35 from 36 balls (3x4s, 1x6s) but had no batting partner left to try avoiding the inevitable.
The two teams will now play a couple of warm-up games before meeting again in 10 days’ time for the tournament-opener in Chennai on October 8.
Australia’s batters came good collectively in what was their last official ODI before the start of the World Cup. (PTI)
