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Kohli falls to nemesis, Pandya hits India to 302-5 in ODI

December 2, 2020 12:11 PM


Josh Hazlewood once again proved Virat Kohli's nemesis as Hardik Pandya and Ravindra Jadeja blazed half-centuries for India to reach 302 for five in the final one-day international against Australia in Canberra on Wednesday.

Hazlewood again got the measure of the India master batsman, dismissing him for 63 to put the tourists under mid-innings pressure in the dead rubber after Australia won the opening two games.

Kohli's exit threw down the gauntlet to Pandya, who finished top-scorer with 92 off 76 balls with some late fireworks with Ravindra Jadeja 66 (50) in a pulsating 150-run stand.

Pandya and Jadeja seized the momentum for India in the final overs after Australia had kept the tourists in check, adding 76 runs in the last five overs.

Kohli was out when a review instigated by wicketkeeper Alex Carey picked up a faint spike on 'Ultra-Edge' off Hazlewood which reversed the on-field decision.

It was Hazlewood's third dismissal of Kohli in the three-match series and a massive breakthrough for the Australians who had reduced India to 152-5 in the 32nd over.  

Along the way Kohli became the fastest to reach 12,000 runs in just 242 ODI innnings to be in sixth place among the all-time 50-overs scorers.

The last seven games in Canberra have all been won by the side batting first, six of them while defending 320-plus totals.

Rising all-rounder Cameron Green came in for his Australian debut for the injured David Warner, while Ashton Agar and Sean Abbott replaced the rested Pat Cummins and injured Mitchell Starc.

Abbott, playing in his first ODI since 2014, got a wicket in his first over when Shikhar Dhawan was beaten by the change in pace and hit straight to Agar in the covers for 16 off 27 balls.

Shubman Gill looked in good nick before he played across the line and was leg before wicket attempting to sweep left-armer Agar for 33 off 39 balls.

Leg-spinner Adam Zampa bowled very tidily and got his reward when Shreyas Iyer hit straight to Marnus Labuschagne at backward point for 19.

Agar hit KL Rahul's back leg as he attempted to sweep and not even the DRS could save him, out for five as India slumped to 123-4.

Australia won the opening two matches in Sydney by 66 runs and 51 runs, extending India's ODI losing streak to five straight games -- their worst since January 2016.

Earlier, India won the toss and chose to bat in the third and final one-day international against Australia at Manuka Oval in Canberra on Wednesday.

Australia, who have an unassailable 2-0 lead in the series, made three changes to their side with youngster Cameron Green making his debut, and fast bowler Sean Abbott and spinner Ashton Agar coming in.

David Warner is out with a groin injury that may have long-term implications for Australia's summer against India and selectors decided to promote Marnus Labuschagne to open the innings with captain Aaron Finch.

Mitchell Starc is out with a back injury while fellow paceman Pat Cummins was rested.

"There's no such thing as a dead rubber when you are playing for Australia and we will be doing everything we can to try and win the game," Finch said.

India also made a number of changes. T Natarajan, Shubman Gill, Shardul Thakur and Kuldeep Yadav come into the side with Mayank Agarwal, Navdeep Saini, Mohammed Shami and Yuzvendra Chahal left out.

"It looks a nice wicket and the last time we played here it was a really good wicket to bat on," India skipper Virat Kohli said.

"We want to bat well and put the opposition under pressure."

The last seven games in Canberra have all been won by the side batting first, six of them while defending 320-plus totals.

Australia handily won the opening two matches of the series in Sydney by 66 runs and 51 runs.

India have lost their last five ODIs for the first time since January 2016.

Australia: Aaron Finch (capt), Marnus Labuschagne, Steve Smith, Glenn Maxwell, Moises Henriques, Alex Carey, Cameron Green, Ashton Agar, Sean Abbott, Adam Zampa, Josh Hazlewood.

India: Shikhar Dhawan, Shubman Gill, Virat Kohli (capt), Shreyas Iyer, KL Rahul, Hardik Pandya, Ravindra Jadeja, Shardul Thakur, Kuldeep Yadav, Jasprit Bumrah, T Natarajan.

Umpires: Bruce Oxenford (AUS) and Paul Wilson (AUS)

TV umpire: Rod Tucker (AUS)

Match referee: David Boon (AUS)



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