Top 5 ODI encounters between India and Australia

#4 2nd Final - CB Series, Brisbane (2008)

A gripping tri-series between Australia, India and Sri Lanka led to an India-Australia final - a best-of-three affair to decide the winner of the CB Series. With India taking a 1-0 lead in Sydney, Australia were going to come back hard as the visitors were looking for their first ODI series win down under.

After winning the toss and opting to bat first, India got off to a solid start with Uthappa and Tendulkar stitching a 94-run opening partnership. The latter looked in prime form and formed another crucial 54-run stand with Yuvraj.

Tendulkar missed a second consecutive ODI ton but when he got out, India were nicely poised at 205-4 in the 40th over and were set for a score of around 280 looked, however, quick wickets helped Australia restrict India to 258-9.

Chasing 259, Australia lost Gilchrist, Ponting and Clarke as Praveen Kumar wreaked havoc, leaving Australia reeling at 32-3 inside 9 overs. The trusted pair of Hayden and Symonds got Australia back on track once again (both of them had bailed Australia out of trouble even in the first final) but both fell in the same over to tilt the match in India’s favour again.

Michael Hussey and James Hope combined to stop the Indians in their tracks as they put on 76 runs for the sixth wicket to help Australia claw their way back into the game. 60 runs were required from the final eight overs when Hussey was dismissed, but Hopes was not going down without a fight even as India kept chipping away with wickets at the other end.

Defending 13 in the last over, Irfan Pathan held his nerve as he priced out the last two wickets (Bracken and Hopes) to hand India a famous Tri-series victory.