Hardik Pandya continued his prowess with the bat by scoring 78 runs against Australia in the third ODI. (Source: PTI)
Hardik Pandya once again played a crucial role and helped take India to a series win with a 78 run knock in the third ODI against Australia in Indore to clinch the five-match series 3-0. The five wicket win for India at the Holkar Stadium would come as further reasons for Australia to get demotivated for the final two matches in the series. For India, Rohit Sharma scored 71 runs and Ajinkya Rahane 70 runs to provide the launchpad for the chase and the eventual win.
Pandya was promoted higher up the order to come up at No 4 and he barely looked phazed by the change in batting order as he went from over to over, doing what he does best – hit boundaries and make things difficult for the opposition bowlers. But even before he came out to bat, Rahane and Rohit had provided India the required start at the top of the order with a 139 run partnership. But two wickets in two quick periods had India nervous at 206/4 in the 36th over with fall of Virat Kohli and Kedar Jadhav within five balls.
However, Pandya and Manish Pandey stayed firm to keep going at the target and put together 78 runs for the fifth wicket. Pandya failed to take India over the finishing line as he fell to Pat Cummins while trying to clear the mid-on fielder.
Australia would consider the defeat in Indore as an opportunity lost following an extremely bright start. Aaron Finch scored a lightning 124 runs from 125 balls with 12 boundaries and five sixes to his name. And found able support from Steve Smith at the other end who scored 63 runs from 71 balls. They put together 154 runs for the second wicket before Finch fell to Kuldeep Yadav.
The middle order faltered for Australia with only Marcus Stoinis reaching double figures while Glenn Maxwell, Travis Head, Peter Handscomb and Ashton Agar scored a collective 21 runs.
The fourth ODI will be played in Bangalore on Thursday.
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