India leveled the T20I series with a commanding five-wicket win over Australia at the Bellerive Oval in Hobart on Sunday (November 2). This was the first time Australia lost a men’s T20I at the ground, making the Men in Blue the first team to do so in six matches.
The Aussies had previously hosted Pakistan, West Indies (twice) and England (twice) at the venue but emerged victorious on each occasion. Suryakumar’s men had other plans.
Washington Sundar starred with a blistering 49* off 23 balls, showcasing his hitting power alongside debutant Jitesh Sharma (22* off 12) to seal the chase. Abhishek Sharma, Suryakumar Yadav, Tilak Varma, and Axar Patel made useful contributions, while Nathan Ellis (3/36) was the only Australian bowler to trouble India.
Australia’s innings revolved around Tim David’s explosive 74 off 38 and Marcus Stoinis’ 64 off 39, helping them reach 186/6 after being reduced to 14/2. Arshdeep Singh, returning to the side, struck twice early to remove Travis Head and Josh Inglis, later earning the Player of the Match award for his 3/35.
Despite some dropped chances and the absence of Hardik Pandya, India’s composed batting ensured Australia’s first-ever T20I defeat at a ground which has been hosting men’s T20Is since 2010.
It was the third-highest successful chase in Australia (the top two are also held by India) and the second-highest chased down without a single chasing batter crossing fifty.
India skipper Suryakumar Yadav was delighted with individual contributions and looked forward to the fourth T20I at the Bill Pippen Oval in Gold Coast.
“Washi showed great flexibility, Jitesh contributed well, and Arshdeep was outstanding,” Suryakumar said in the post-match presentation ceremony. “It felt like the right combination tonight. Yes, they (Bumrah and Arshdeep) are a fantastic pair – a bit like Shubman and Abhishek up top. Bumrah does his job quietly, keeps it tight, and Arshdeep capitalizes from the other end. Together, they’re a really lethal combination. It is set up beautifully. We’re heading to a new venue, so it’ll be a fresh challenge, but the boys are confident and enjoying their cricket.”
