IND vs AUS 2023, 3rd T20I: Who won yesterday’s India vs Australia match?

Australia beat India by five wickets in yesterday’s T20I at the Barsapara Cricket Stadium in Guwahati. With the win, the Aussies stayed alive in the five-match series, having lost the first two games.

Sent into bat after losing the toss yet again, Team India’s batters shone once more as they put up an impressive total of 222/3 on the board in the 20 overs. Opener Ruturaj Gaikwad dominated the innings, smashing 123* off 57 balls, his maiden T20I ton. Australia, however, chased down the total off the last ball as Glenn Maxwell clobbered 104* off 48 balls.

With Australia needing 87 off the last six overs, India held the upper hand in the contest. But the in-form Maxwell carried on his great World Cup form and hauled the Aussies over the line with another display of magnificent big hitting. Skipper Matthew Wade also chipped in with a crucial 28* off 16 balls.

It came down to 21 runs off the last over and Maxwell slammed Prasidh Krishna for six and three fours off the last four balls to ensure Australia stayed alive in the series.

Earlier, Australia got off to a rapid start in the chase as their openers added 47 in 4.2 overs. The partnership was broken when Aaron Hardie (16 off 12) fell to Arshdeep Singh trying to smash a big hit. Travis Head got off to a blazing start, but fell for 35 off 18, miscuing a slower short ball off Avesh Khan. Australia slipped to 68/3 when Ravi Bishnoi knocked over Josh Inglis (10) with a slider.

Maxwell clubbed Krishna for two fours and two sixes in the eighth over, which cost India 23. At the halfway stage of their innings, the Aussies were still in the game at 105/3. But while Maxwell was finding the big hits at one end, Australia were losing wickets at the other.

Marcus Stoinis struggled for momentum and perished to Axar Patel for 17 off 21, hitting the left-arm spinner to cover. Bishnoi then dismissed Tim David for a golden duck as the big-hitting batter also chipped a catch to cover. Maxwell then took complete charge of the Aussie innings.

Gaikwad’s ton lifts India to 222/3

India got off to a disappointing start with the bat, losing Yashasvi Jaiswal (6) to Jason Behrendorff as the batter nicked an attempted smack to the keeper. Ishan Kishan, the other in-form batter, perished without scoring, slapping Kane Richardson to cover.

Skipper Suryakumar Yadav (39 off 29) and Gaikwad added 57 runs for the third wicket, with the former being the dominant partner. The Indian captain nonchalantly flicked two sixes off Nathan Ellis in the fifth over. Suryakumar also struck five fours before being caught behind off Hardie, getting himself into a tangle against a short of length delivery.

Gaikwad opened up after the skipper’s dismissal and went absolutely berserk. He reached his half-century in the 14th over by pulling Hardie for a boundary. He slammed the Aussie pacer for three sixes and a four in the 18th over, which went for 25.

The decision to give the last over to Maxwell also backfired as 30 runs came off it. Gaikwad reached a 52-ball hundred off the first delivery, launching the off-spinner over wide long-on for a maximum. The expensive over also featured two more sixes and as many fours.

Who was Player of the Match in yesterday’s India vs Australia T20I?

Gaikwad scored a brilliant ton for India, hitting 13 fours and seven sixes. With the ball, leggie Bishnoi (2/32) stood out again.

For Australia, Maxwell single-handedly took the team past the finish line, bludgeoning eight fours and as many sixes. He was deservedly named Player of the Match for his fantastic knock.

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