Sundar steers India to five-wicket win over Australia in 3rd T20I

HOBART (AFP): Washington Sundar hit an unbeaten 49 as India chased down 187 to beat Australia by five wickets in the third Twenty20 international on Sunday and level the series.

The hosts were sent in at Hobart and plundered 186-6, with Tim David crunching 74 from 38 deliveries and Marcus Stoinis also lively in a 39-ball 64.

Arshdeep Singh took 3-35.

But it was never enough and India reached their target with nine balls left. Sundar starred but there were contributions across the board.

It left the five-match series finely poised at 1-1 with two games to play at the Gold Coast and Brisbane.

“It was really important to win the toss. I think it was 19 or 20 tosses (India had lost), so good to break that streak,” India skipper Suryakumar Yadav said.

“It was a good contribution from everyone with the ball and the bat. Very happy to be on the winning side.”

Australia badly missed Josh Hazlewood, India’s tormentor in the last game at Melbourne, who has left the squad to focus on his preparations for the Ashes series against England.

His replacement Sean Abbott was slammed for 56 off 3.3 overs.

“Probably felt we were 20 runs short and we’ve got to find a way to get that,” said Australia captain Mitchell Marsh.

“But I loved the intent. Tim David was outstanding. Stoinis showed his experience.

“The margins in T20 are so small that one or two bad overs or good overs can cost you the game.”

Dangerman Abhishek Sharma got the chase rolling with a quickfire 25 but he tried one slog too many and top-edged Nathan Ellis to wicketkeeper Josh Inglis.

Ellis struck again, trapping Shubman Gill lbw on 15, while Yadav went for 24, deceived by a slower ball from Stoinis.

But India were in the driving seat at 105-3 by the halfway mark.

Two more wickets fell but, with 35 needed off the last five overs, Sundar comfortably saw them home.

Earlier, Travis Head fell for six in the opening over to Singh, who then removed Inglis for one.

But David was on fire, racing to a half-century off 23 balls, including a monster six that almost left the stadium.

India hauled themselves back into contention when the spin of Varun Chakravarthy bamboozled Marsh (11) and Mitchell Owen in successive balls.

David was unrelenting before being taken on the ropes by Tilak Varma off Shivam Dube, ending an innings that included eight fours and five sixes.