IND v AUS Live Score, 3rd T20I: Matthew Wade, Glenn Maxwell punish butter-fingered India as Australia post 186 for 5

Australian opener Matthew Wade struck his second half-century in a row to lift the hosts to 186 for 5 in the 3rd T20I against India at Sydney.

Matthew Wade slammed 80 from 53 balls and featured in a 90-run third-wicket partnership with Glenn Maxwell (54 from 36), who was reprieved by India more than once during the 3rd T20I.

Despite losing skipper Aaron Finch for a duck after being sent in to bat, Matthew Wade again impressed as Australia eased to 51 for 1 at the end of the powerplay.

Matthew Wade attacked the bowlers from the word go. In the first over bowled by Deepak Chahar, Wade top-edged a paddle scoop over fine leg for four, and followed it up with a cracking pull shot a couple of balls later.

A REPRIEVE FOR MAXWELL!He top edges an attempted slog-sweep and gets caught, but Yuzvendra Chahal has overstepped!#AUSvIND SCORECARD 👉 https://t.co/aLozLSAnsU pic.twitter.com/zJeLmJaK13

— ICC (@ICC) December 8, 2020

Off-spinner Washington Sundar got the big break for India in his first over as Finch miscued a back-of-the-length delivery to mid-off.

Matthew Wade continued to attack Chahar as the medium-pacer kept serving length balls to him on a platter.

How India’s day in the field went from bad to worse in the 3rd T20I

In what could have been a potentially game-changing moment, KL Rahul missed a straight-forward stumping of dangerman Smith from Sundar’s bowling when the batsman was on 18.

Luckily for Rahul and India, Smith perished in the same over, going for an unnecessary hoick and getting clean bowled for 24. Sundar finished his spell with impressive figures of 2 for 34.

There was more drama in the next over bowled by T. Naratarjan. With Matthew Wade having just brought up his second consecutive fifty, Natarajan struck him on the pads with one that came back in. The umpire gave it not out.

After some deliberation, the Indian captain finally went for the DRS review. However, the request was denied by the third umpire. Luck didn't seem to be on Natarajan's side with replays showing the ball hitting the stumps.

WASHINGTON SUNDAR HAS HIS SECOND 🙌 Steve Smith had a reprieve a couple of balls ago in form of a missed stumping, but the bowler has the last laugh!#AUSvIND SCORECARD 👉 https://t.co/aLozLSAnsU pic.twitter.com/onJUJRwAHM

— ICC (@ICC) December 8, 2020

Shardul Thakur was introduced into the attack in the 11th over, and was welcomed by Matthew Wade and Glenn Maxwell with a six and a four respectively.

The day would get worse for India, though. After being switch-hit for six, Yuzvendra Chahal got the hard-hitting batsman to top edge one to Rahul. The joy was short-lived for India though as replays showed the leg-spinner had overstepped.

Riding his luck, Maxwell hammered Chahal for two sixes in his last over as the latter ended up with unimpressive figures of 0 for 41

The 'Big Show' was gifted another life when Chahar dropped him off Thakur, running in from sweeper cover. Not surprisingly, Maxwell launched the next ball over the midwicket boundary for a maximum.

He soon raced to his half-century off just 31 balls, and got another reprieve when Chahal dropped him at short third man to end the 19th over.

Maxwell was eventually cleaned up by Natarajan, who again impressed with 1 for 34 in his four overs.