Hobart: India roared back into their T20 series against Australia, clinching a dominant five-wicket win in the third match at Hobart’s Bellerive Oval and setting the series at 1-1.
Australia batted first and posted a challenging total of 186/6, powered by a blistering 74 off 38 balls from Tim David and a 64-ball 64 from Marcus Stoinis. India, however, took the game in hand through a superb all-round performance. Left-arm seamer Arshdeep Singh struck early and finished with figures of 3-35, while Washington Sundar hammered an unbeaten 49 off 23 balls to guide the chase. India reached 188/5 with nine balls remaining.
Arshdeep made breakthroughs at the top by dismissing Travis Head and Josh Inglis in his opening overs, setting the tone for India’s bowlers. Washington entered during a critical phase of the chase and produced a flurry of boundaries, including four sixes, to take India home in style. Jitesh Sharma (22* off 12 balls) held firm as the two finished the innings together.
The win has erased a rare blemish — Australia’s first T20I defeat at this venue — and revived India’s chances in the series. “It felt like we’d lost 19 or 20 tosses in a row, so it was great to break that streak. Winning the toss was important today, and I’m really happy with how the team performed,” said India captain Suryakumar Yadav post-match.
With two matches still to play, India will carry confidence into the next game on the Gold Coast. The performance of Arshdeep and Washington has given the team fresh momentum and shows the depth of talent available in crucial moments.
