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Twitter Reacts As India Beat Australia By 13 Runs To Snap Their 5-Match Losing Streak In ODI Cricket

By Yash Mittal

Updated - 02 Dec 2020, 06:14 PM

India beat Australia by 13 runs [Photo-Twitter]

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A brilliant 150-run-stand between Ravindra Jadeja and Hardik Pandya and an inspired bowling performance has helped India not only avert a 0-3 whitewash but also shrug off their five-match losing streak in ODI cricket and seven-match losing streak across formats courtesy a 13-run-win in Canberra.

Chasing 304, Australia for the first time in the series got off to a poor start as make-shift opener Marnus Labuschagne failed to make the most of the opportunity. Indian bowlers bowled much better in the first powerplay and after a gap of five games and 55 overs, the Men in Blue managed to claim a wicket in the first 10 overs thanks to debutant T Natarajan.

T Natarajan, Tom Moody
T Natarajan [Photo-Twitter]
India could have got Aaron Finch as well in the powerplay as Jasprit Bumrah consistently troubled the Australian captain but without any luck. Finch rode his luck to the hilt, surviving two dropped catches- one by Shikhar Dhawan off Jasprit Bumrah and then by Bumrah himself off his own bowling- and a run-out opportunity.

However, the pressure that Bumrah and T Natarajan had built eventually paid off as Steve Smith, in an attempt to break free, got strangled down the leg-side for a 15-ball 8 off the bowling of Shardul Thakur.

India, Australia
Shardul Thakar celebrates with teammates after dismissing Steve Smith [Photo-Twitter]
Post the dismissal of Smith, Aaron Finch and Moises Henriques stitched a 61-run-stand for the 3rd wicket. Finch compiled his third consecutive half-century of the series while Henriques too look assured against both pace and spin.

In a bid to break the stand, Shardul Thakur was introduced back in the attack by Virat Kohli and the move worked wonders as Henriques holed out at mid-wicket in an attempt to pull the fast bowler. One wicket brought two for India as Aaron Finch, in an attempt, to slog Jadeja down the ground holed out to Shikhar Dhawan, who eventually held on to the catch on the second attempt.

Cameron Green played a few delightful strokes during his 27-ball 21 before one shot proved too many for the youngster as he holed out off the bowling of Kuldeep Yadav thanks to a spectacular coach at deep backward square-leg by Ravindra Jadeja.

Glenn Maxwell and Alex Carey stroked some cracking boundaries during their 50-run-stand for the sixth wicket before a brain fade moment from the latter proceeded to give India a much-needed breakthrough. It all happened in the 38th over when Carey set-off for a suicidal run, only to be sent back by Maxwell but by then Virat Kohli had moved quickly from midwicket to deliver the ball to KL Rahul, who completed an easy run-out.

But once again Glenn Maxwell proved to be the thorn in the flesh for India as the swashbuckler strolled his way to another half-century courtesy of some breathtaking strokes; none better than the switch-hit off Kuldeep Yadav. Maxwell tonked Natarajan for a four and a six in the 44th over to reduce the equation to 39 of the last 6.

India, Australia
Glenn Maxwell cleaned up by Jasprit Bumrah [Photo-Twitter]
Jasprit Bumrah eventually ended Maxwell’s onslaught with a brilliant pinpoint yorker in the next over to give India a glimmer of hope. T Natarajan came back brilliantly after a tough last over to ensure that the equation boiled down to 29 off the last 24 balls. Shardul Thakur once again proved to be India’s key wicket-taker as he bowled a brilliant 47th over before eventually dismissing Sean Abbott on the last delivery.

Natarajan continued to show his nerves of steel as he claimed his second scalp on the first delivery of his next over as Ashton Agar holed out at extra-cover before Bumrah claimed an LBW off Adam Zampa to seal the deal for the Men in Blue.

 

Record 6th-wicket-stand between Hardik Pandya and Ravindra Jadeja guides India to 5-302 vs Australia

India, Australia
Ravindra Jadeja [Photo-Twitter]
Earlier in the day, a whirlwind unbeaten 150-run-stand between Ravindra Jadeja [66 off  50 balls] and Hardik Pandya [92 off 76 balls] helped India emerge from a precarious situation of 5-152 to post a challenging total of 5-302 in 50 overs.

It was an outstanding assault by the duo of Pandya and Jadeja as they took apart the likes of Sean Abbott and Josh Hazlewood in the death overs to help India script a comeback from the dead. The duo smashed a total of 110 runs in the last 60 balls with the last 30 balls going for 76 as Sean Abbott was taken to the cleaners with absolute disdain.

India, Australia
Hardik Pandya [Photo-Twitter]
Jadeja and Pandya had come together at the crease after India had lost the prized scalp of skipper Virat Kohli at the score of 5-152. Kohli, who notched up the milestone of 12000 ODI runs in record time, was once again at his best during his knock of 63.

Kohli smashed the Australian bowlers to all corners of the Manuka Oval but he had very little support from his fellow batsmen, who gave away their wickets in a rather soft manner. Shikhar Dhawan chipped Sean Abbott straight to cover while Shubman Gill, after having stroked an audacious 33 fell leg-before-wicket to Ashton Agar. Shreyas Iyer’s struggles in Australia continued and he fell to Adam Zampa for a 21-ball 19 while KL Rahul was adjudged plumb in front after he failed to nail the slog-sweep.

Virat Kohli was once again dismissed by Josh Hazlewood courtesy of a brute of delivery; one that proceeded to kiss the outside edge off his bat. But, a record-stand by Hardik Pandya and Ravindra Jadeja- the second-highest 6th wicket-stand against Australia- ensured that India did not only manage to get themselves out of the rut but also post a competitive total.

Here’s how Twitter reacted

https://twitter.com/rao_4005/status/1334081279352967169

https://twitter.com/im_yash2307/status/1334049810832261121?s=19

https://twitter.com/im_yash2307/status/1334028526698151936?s=19

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