Bengaluru: Australia finally had something to cheer about in the ongoing ODI series as they beat hosts India by a 21-runs in the fourth ODI in Bengaluru on Thursday.
Thus India’s nine-match unbeaten run was snapped as the visitors performed to their potential and took their team home.
Opting to bat first, Australia were off to a fantastic start as both openers-David Warner and Aaron Finch dominated right from the word go. The explosive duo registered a huge 231-run opening stand taking apart the Indian bowling as they helped Australia assume complete control on the game before Finch fell agonizingly short of his second consecutive ODI hundred by just six runs as he was dismissed by Umesh Yadav for 94. The right-hander hit 10 fours and three huge sixes in the knock.
However, Warner, who had failed in the last match despite getting off to good start did not let the same happen again as he smashed his way to a magnificent 124 of 119 balls, hitting 12 fours and four sixes. Playing his 100th ODI, Warner scored a century and became only the eighth batsman in the history of cricket to have achieved this feat.
But both him and Finch, were dismissed one after the other in a quick span of time as the Indians also clawed back by dismissing the Australian skipper Steve Smith for just 3.
But important knocks from Travis Head (29) and Peter Handscomb (40) ensured that the visitors ended up with a huge total.
Umesh Yadav, playing for the first time in the series scalped four wickets conceding 71 runs.
In reply, the Indians too began on a solid note as openers Ajinkya Rahane and Rohit Sharma, who had done well in the last game, stitched a 106-run stand that helped India remain in the chase. But after Rahane was dismissed for 53, Rohit too fell five overs later for a well composed 65 from just 55 balls with five huge sixes and one four.
Skipper Virat Kohli was the next man to follow suit as he was dismissed for 21 by Nathan Coulter-Nile. All of a sudden the Indian batting looked a bit wobbly as they were reduced to 147/3 with the top three willow wielders back in the hut.
But all-rounder Hardik Pandya, who has been phenomenal with the bat in the series so far, stabilised the innings with 41 runs. Kedar Jadhav too contributed with a well-made 67 of 69 balls and was also involved in a 61-run stand with Manish Pandey (33) but couldn’t take his team over the line. Eventually they fell short just 21 runs as the series now stands 3-1 with one match to go.
Kane Richardson was the best bowler for the Australians as he took three wickets giving away 58 runs while Coulter-Nile had two dismissals to his name. Leg-spinner Adam Zampa got one wicket.
Brief scores-
Australia 334/5 (David Warner 124, Aaron Finch 94; Umesh Yadav (4/71) defeated India 313/8 (Kedar Jadhav 67, Rohit Sharma 65; Kane Richardson 3/58) by 21 runs.