October 19, 2013
Brief Scorecard: Australia 304 for 6 (Voges 76*, Faulkner 64*) beat India 303 for 9 (Dhoni 139*, Kohli 68, Johnson 4-46) by four wickets
Australian batsman Faulkner reacts after hitting the winning shot against India during the 3rd ODI at PCA stadium in Mohali on Saturday
October 19, 2013
Brief Scorecard: Australia 304 for 6 (Voges 76*, Faulkner 64*) beat India 303 for 9 (Dhoni 139*, Kohli 68, Johnson 4-46) by four wickets
Australian batsman Faulkner reacts after hitting the winning shot against India during the 3rd ODI at PCA stadium in Mohali on Saturday
MSD ton in vain as Ishant's 30-run over helps Australia fashion 4-wicket win; James Faulkner smashed a 29-ball 64 to set up the win
MOHALI: Big disappointment was in store for captain MS Dhoni's team on Saturday as they lost a match that seemed to be in the bag till the 47th over.
The culprit was lanky medium pacer Ishant Sharma, a player whose critics will now be sharpening their knives faster than ever. Ishant gave away 30 runs off the 48th over, with James Faulkner smashing him to all corners of the ground to fashion a four-wicket win for the Aussies, who were chasing India's 303 in the third ODI at the PCA Stadium.
The first ball was full and wide and Faulkner smashed it over extra cover for a boundary. The second, a short one, sat up to be hit and the allrounder clobbered it over cow corner for six. Next, a length ball which had 'please-hit-me' written all over it was duly deposited over the ropes.
Calm prevailed for a solitary delivery, the fourth, as the two Aussies in the middle (Adam Voges and Faulkner) ran two. Faulkner promptly returned to six-hitting mode, swatting the fifth ball into the stands. The sixth, another rank long hop, was smacked over the mid-wicket fence. It was all over for India. Faulkner deposited Vinay Kumar for another maximum off the third delivery in the 50th over and then proceeded to celebrate an incredible win.
Man of the Match Faulkner (64 not out; 29 balls, 2×4, 6×6) gave a stunning display of power hitting while Voges (an unbeaten 76 off 88 balls) played the supporting role to perfection.
Ishant's profligacy overshadowed a stunning batting effort from Dhoni, who bailed India out of trouble to hit his ninth ODI century, the first by an Indian at the PCA stadium. Dhoni's 121-ball 139 (12×4, 5×6) helped India recover from 76/4 to 303/9 at the end of their 50 overs.
Dhoni paced his innings to perfection, consolidating in the initial stages before launching into the Aussies. The final 10 overs produced a massive 101 runs and the last three a mind-boggling 47. The trademark helicopter shot was back with Faulkner himself being at the receiving end, giving away 21 runs in the last over of the Indian innings.
Before Dhoni's heroics, the Indian top and middle order was exposed by some accurate and penetrative short-pitched bowling by Mitchell Johnson, who grabbed four wickets. Bowling thunderbolts at 150 kmph, Johnson had Suresh Raina, Yuvraj Singh and Ravindra Jadeja hopping. Only Virat Kohli (68 off 73 balls) stood tall amid the early carnage.
Courtesy: PTI
