India Lose Final T20I Despite Virat Kohli Fireworks in Sydney

India vs Australia 2020: India had already sealed the series with victories in the first two matches played in Canberra and Sydney.

Virat Kohli’s 61-ball 85 was in vain as Australia defeated India by 12 runs in the 3rd and final T20I at the Sydney Cricket Ground on Tuesday to avoid a whitewash. India had already sealed the series with victories in Canberra (December 4) and Sydney (December 6).

India had won all their T20Is in 2020 starting with the series against Sri Lanka at home in January. India then blanked New Zealand 5-0 in a thrilling series before winning back-to-back matches in Australia to win their 3rd successive T20I series this year.

Chasing 187, India lost the dangerous KL Rahul who fell to Glenn Maxwell in the first over for a duck. That early dismissal brought together India captain Virat Kohli with Shikar Dhawan. After a bit of a watchful start, the two accelerated and raced away to a 74-run partnership for the 2nd wicket before Dhawan was dismissed by Mitchell Swepson in the 9th over.

Soon after, Virat Kohli brought up his 25th half-century in T20Is off 41 balls but leg-spinner Mitchell Swepson pegged India back with the wickets of Sanju Samson and Shreyas Iyer in 4 deliveries. The pressure was right back on India who were looking to end 2020 without losing a single T20 International.

The onus was now on Virat Kohli to see the team through to another successful chase at the SCG. India needed 87 runs off 7 overs when Hardik Pandya joined Kohli in the middle.

India were up against it as the asking rate kept climbing but Virat Kohli hit Daniel Sams for two successive sixes and Hardik Pandya for another one in the 16th over. Pandya then took on Andrew Tye in the 17th over before falling to Adam Zampa. However, with Kohli in the middle and going strong, India were well in the hunt.

But Andrew Tye dashed India’s hopes when he dismissed Virat Kohli for a majestic 85 – a knock laced with 4 boundaries and 3 sixes.

India still had Washington Sundar and Shardul Thakur at the crease men who can bat but the ask was too steep. They needed 27 off the final 6 balls and when Sundar fell to Sean Abbott off the 2nd ball of the 20th over, the writing was on the wall.

India were atrocious on the field Virat Kohli won the toss and decided to bowl in the final T20I against Australia. Washington Sundar made two important breakthroughs inside the first 10 overs, getting the wickets of Aaron Finch and Steve Smith but poor fielding allowed Matthew Wade and Glenn Maxwell to build a 90-run partnership for the 3rd wicket.

Aaron Finch, who had to sit out of the 2nd T20I , returned to lead Australia on Tuesday but he was done in early by Wahsington Sundar. Steve Smith did not really find any kind of touch and was deceived in flight by Sundr in the 10th over.

Glenn Maxwell then made the most of his luck – he was caught off a no-ball by Yuzvendra Chahal and made India pay with his audacious strokeplay.

Matthew Wade, who had stood in as captain for Aaron Finch in the 2nd T20I and scored a scintillating half-century, carried on from where he left off on Sunday. He was relentless in his approach and kept attacking the Indian bowlers even after Australia lost Finch and Smith cheaply.

India could have possibly restricted Australia to a lesser total but shoddy fielding allowed the hosts to add 47 runs in the last 5 overs.

India will now take on Australia in the first of 4 Test matches starting December 17.