Sydney: India ended the ODI series on a high with a nine-wicket win over Australia in the third and final match at the Sydney Cricket Ground on Saturday.
Rohit Sharma and Virat Kohli led India’s chase with calm, experienced batting. Rohit stayed unbeaten on 121, scoring his 33rd ODI hundred, while Kohli made 74 not out. Together, they added 168 runs for the second wicket — their 12th 150-plus partnership in ODIs, equalling the record held by Sachin Tendulkar and Sourav Ganguly.
Australia, having already won the series 2-0, struggled with the bat after choosing to bat first. They were bowled out for 236 on a pitch that looked good for batting. Matthew Renshaw made 52, his maiden ODI fifty, but others failed to convert their starts.
Harshit Rana was the pick of the Indian bowlers with 4/49. Washington Sundar took 2/44, and Axar Patel kept things tight, conceding only 18 runs in six overs.
Support Independent Journalism? Keep us live.
Chasing 237, India began steadily. Rohit and Shubman Gill added 69 for the first wicket before Kohli joined Rohit. The pair played smart cricket, rotating the strike and punishing loose balls.
Kohli, who turns 37 soon, said after the match that chasing still motivates him. “It brings out the best in me,” he said.
Rohit reached his century with a single off Adam Zampa and then accelerated, hitting three sixes and 13 fours in total. Kohli finished the game in style, guiding Nathan Ellis to the boundary to seal the win with 11.3 overs remaining.
It was a consolation win for India, but the match offered positives. The team showed strong control with both bat and ball, setting a steady base as they look ahead to the 2027 ODI World Cup.
Comments are closed.