CANBERRA: India all-rounder Hardik Pandya scored his highest one-day international score of 92 to set up a thrilling 13-run win for his team against Australia in the third match at the Manuka Oval yesterday and avoid a clean sweep in the series.
Pandya’s unbeaten knock in 76 deliveries featured seven fours and one six and he added 150 in an entertaining unbroken stand for the sixth-wicket with Ravindra Jadeja to help India post 302 for five.
The hosts seemed cruising in their chase but India’s pace spearhead Jasprit Bumrah dismissed Glenn Maxwell with Australia 35 runs away from a win to turn the game in his team’s favour.
Bumrah returned in the last over to take the final Australian wicket to bundle them out for 289 with three deliveries remaining.
Maxwell fell for 59 off 38 balls and one of his four sixes landed on the top of the roof of the stadium in Australia’s capital city.
Australia captain Aaron Finch top-scored with 75 to set up the chase after a charmed life during which he was dropped twice early in his innings and also survived a run out chance.
Shardul Thakur was one of the four changes in the Indian side and was the most successful bowler with 3-51 while Bumrah and debutant T Natarajan picked up two wickets each.
Hosts Australia had already bagged the series with two victories in as many matches in Sydney.