The 5 Best ODI wins for India versus Australia in Australia

#3 Commonwealth Bank Series, First Final, Sydney, 2008

Sachin scored his first ODI hundred in Australia in his penultimate innings in Australia

India reached the final of the Common Wealth Bank series derailing Sri Lanka, the third team in that tri-series.

The Australian captain Ricky Ponting won the toss and elected to bat first. Australia had a disastrous start to their innings losing 3 wickets for 24. The Indian opening bowler Praveen Kumar accounted for Gilchrist and Ponting while Ishant Sharma had Michael Clarke caught behind.

Mathew Hayden was once again India’s nemesis as he slowly got into his groove. Hayden made 82 and in partnership with Andrew Symonds(31) and Michael Hussey(45) pulled Australia out of trouble. Australia finished with a par score of 239 for 8 in 50 overs.

The Indian openers Sachin Tendulkar and Robin Uthappa put on a 50 run partnership before Uthappa got out. Gambhir and Yuvraj left soon. Luckily for India, Sachin was playing his best innings of the series reaching his 50 off 56 balls. India were 88 for 3 at the end of 19 overs when Rohit Sharma joined Sachin.

Rohit Sharma reached his 50 off 70 balls with 5 fours. The Aussies had a chance to break the partnership but Ponting dropped Rohit off the bowling of Nathan Bracken and allowed the partnership to complete a century.

By that time, India was almost through and the main interest in the match was on whether Sachin Tendulkar, on his last tour of Australia, would be able to score his first one-day century in Australia.

Sachin duly completed his 42nd one-day hundred in the 42nd over bowled by James Hopes. Rohit Sharma got out to the next ball. Dhoni finished the match in his customary style with a succession of boundaries. Sachin remained not out on 117 which came off 120 balls with 10 fours. It was India’s first win in a final of a triangular series in Australia.