India has beaten Australia by 9 wickets at the iconic Sydney Cricket Ground in the third and final One Day International of the series.
Although the Men in Blue have lost the series 2-1, this win will be a massive moral victory, especially for Virat Kohli and Rohit Sharma, who were surrounded by speculations of potential retirement ahead of the tour.
Most importantly, Rohit scored his 33rd hundred in the 50-over format (121 overall), and second at this venue. Kohli, on the other hand, finished the match with a 50+ score (74 runs) after getting out of ducks in Perth and Adelaide.
India Restrict Australia At 236
Mitchell Marsh won the toss and opted to bat first, a call that looked spot-on in the early stages. He and Travis Head put on a brisk 60-run opening stand, setting a solid foundation and hinting at a big total for the hosts.
But Australia’s momentum didn’t last long. From cruising at 60/0, they suddenly stumbled to 88/2, losing both openers in quick succession. The middle order failed to build any lasting partnerships, and the innings began to unravel.
Young pace all-rounder Harshit Rana emerged as India’s standout performer with the ball, delivering a fiery spell. He finished with impressive figures of 4 for 39 in 8.4 overs, maintaining an excellent economy rate of 4.50, a performance that kept Australia in check and swung the momentum back in India’s favor.
Kohli-Rohit Dominate The Aussies
Rohit Sharma looked in great touch from the get-go, picking up right where he left off in Adelaide.
He stitched a 50-run partnership with Shubman Gill, and when the first (and only) wicket fell at 69, in walked Virat Kohli. He had two ducks coming into this match, but looked like a completely different player today.
The Ro-Ko duo rotated the strike on a regular basis, striking the ball confidently, and hit boundaries whenever required. The Hitman’s century and The King’s half century stitched a solid 9-wicket win against Australia in Australia, the match finishing with 69 balls to spare.
