IND vs AUS 2023, 3rd ODI: Who won yesterday’s India vs Australia match?

Australia beat India by 21 runs in yesterday’s ODI game at the MA Chidambaram Stadium in Chennai. With the win, the Aussies claimed the three-match series 2-1. The triumph also saw them become the No. 1 team in the one-day rankings. The Men in Blue, in the process, suffered their first bilateral ODI series defeat at home since 2019.

Australia batted first after winning the toss in the decider in Chennai. Openers Travis Head (33 off 31) and Mitchell Marsh (47 off 47) got the visitors off to a confident start, adding 68 for the first wicket. However, once the stand was broken, Australia kept losing wickets at regular intervals.

Steve Smith fell for a duck to Hardik Pandya, while David Warner (23), Marnus Labuschagne (28) and Marcus Stoinis (25) failed to convert their starts. All three perished in their quest to take on India’s spinners. Keeper-batter Alex Carey scored a defiant 38 before being knocked over by Kuldeep Yadav (3-56).

At 203-7, Australia were in danger of being bowled out for under 250. However, Sean Abbott (26) and Ashton Agar (17) featured in an eighth-wicket stand of 42 to frustrate India. The last-wicket pair of Mitchell Starc (10) and Adam Zampa (10*) also added 20 to lift Australia to a competitive total of 269.

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Adam Zampa four-fer ends India’s home dominance

Set a target of 270, India would have been confident of chasing down the total to clinch yet another home series. However, leg-spinner Zampa (4-45) and left-arm spinner Agar (2-41) combined to ruin India’s plans.

Like Australia, India also got off to a confident start, as Rohit Sharma (30) and Shubman Gill (37) added 65 for the opening wicket. After the duo were dismissed, Virat Kohli (54) and KL Rahul (32) featured in a 69-run stand for the third wicket. Rahul, though, fell to Zampa, toe-ending a lofted hit, which brought Australia back into the game.

The run-out of Axar Patel (2) was followed by the dismissals of Kohli and Suryakumar Yadav (0) off consecutive deliveries. Kohli miscued a big hit off Agar, while Yadav was done in by a skidder, registering his third consecutive golden duck.

Hardik Pandya (40) and Ravindra Jadeja (18) added 33 for the seventh wicket, but both fell to Zampa, looking to slog the leg-spinner. Eventually, the Men in Blue were bowled out for 248 in 49.1 overs, losing their first ODI series at home in four years.

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India vs Australia 2023: Who was Player of the Match in 3rd ODI?

Marsh top-scored for Australia with a run-a-ball 47, while Carey contributed a crucial 38. Opener Head also chipped in with 33. Zampa ran through India’s batting with a four-fer, while Agar dismissed Kohli and Suryakumar on successive deliveries.

For India, Pandya had a good all-round game. He picked up the first three Aussie wickets to fall and contributed 40, while Kuldeep also impressed with three scalps. Zampa, though, was named the Player of the Match for his four-wicket haul, while Marsh was named the Player of the Series.