India vs Australia 2019: India become 2nd team after Australia to register 500 ODI wins with thrilling win in Nagpur encounter

India defeated Australia by 8 runs in a thrilling match at the VCA Stadium, Nagpur on Tuesday. With this win, the Men in Blue have become only the second team after Australia to register 500 wins in ODI cricket.

Trailing 0-1 in the five-match ODI series, Australian captain Aaron Finch won the toss and decided to bowl first. Virat Kohli played one of his best innings in ODI cricket on a tough batting pitch, scoring 116. Vijay Shankar contributed well too by scoring a quickfire 46 off 41 balls; Kohli and Shankar added 81 runs for the 4th wicket.

India were bowled out for 250 in 48.2 overs, as the tail couldn't survive the probing spells from the Aussie quicks. In reply, Australian openers Aaron Finch and Usman Khawaja gave the team a flying start, putting on 83 runs.

However, the Indian spinners choked the Australian batsmen in the middle overs and never allowed them to score with ease. Still, Peter Handscomb and Marcus Stoinis added 39 runs for the 5th wicket, which had seemingly put Australia on course for a win, before Ravindra Jadeja produced a brilliant run out to dismiss Handscomb.

Jasprit Bumrah was brilliant at the end, picking up two wickets off successive deliveries to change the course of the game. With 11 runs required off the last over, Shankar picked the important wicket of Stoinis as well as that of Adam Zampa as India won the match by a mere 8 runs.

With this win, India have taken a 2-0 lead in the five-match series.

India made their ODI debut on 13th July 1974. Since then, they have played 963 matches with 500 wins, 414 losses, 9 ties and 40 ending without a result. On the other hand, Australia have registered 558 wins from the 923 matches they have played so far.

It has been a great year for Team India in 2019. Under the captaincy of Kohli, India crushed New Zealand 4-1 on New Zealand soil, winning their first series there in 10 years. They also registered their first bilateral ODI series win over Australia on Australian soil, winning the three-match series 2-1.

With the World Cup 2019 to be held in England from 30th May, the Indian team looks settled at the moment. The fans would be hoping to see the Men in Blue lift their 3rd World Cup title come June.