3rd T20 Int’l: Wade, Maxwell take Australia to 186/5 vs India

PTI, Dec 8, 2020, 3:59 PM IST

Sydney: Matthew Wade’s second consecutive half-century was well-complemented by Glenn Maxwell’s blazing strokeplay as Australia posted a competitive 186 for 5 against India in the third and final T20 International here on Tuesday.

Wade, who has played all his big T20 knocks against India, smashed his way to 80 off 53 balls with the help seven fours and two sixes.

Maxwell, who struggled with his timing initially, also got into the act during the last six overs with a 35-ball-54 and a third-wicket stand of 90 runs in 8.4 overs with Wade.

India’s bowling heroes were Washington Sundar (2/34 in 4 overs) and Thangarasu Natarajan (1/33 in 4 overs). Natarajan, despite a few boundaries conceded in the final over, was pretty impressive.

Wade’s audacious strokeplay had its share of streakiness and some between long-on and square leg were simply breathtaking.

To add to India’s misery, Virat Kohli’s failure to call for DRS in stipulated 15 seconds cost the team Wade’s wicket just after he had completed his 50. Replays showed that Natarajan had trapped him plumb in-front.

If that wasn’t enough, Yuzvendra Chahal (0/41 in 4 overs) outfoxed Maxwell to induce a skier which KL Rahul pouched but to his horror found that the bowler had overstepped.

The Australian innings largely dominated by Wade’s power-hitting after Sundar got rid of aaron Finch (0) very cheaply.

The wicketkeeper-batsman was quick to bring out his pull-shot and the whipped flick whenever anything was pitched in the arc.

He was the dominant partner during the 65-run stand with a scratchy Steve Smith (24) but played the second fiddle once Maxwell got his touchback.

For Maxwell, the 15th over by Chahal was the one that changed the course. Once he got the reprieve, he deposited Chahal for a straight six and followed it with another into the mid-wicket stands.

Riding on his luck, he got another “life” in the 17th over when a mis-hit was dropped by Deepak Chahar running in from deep point.

Between overs 13th to 18th, Australia racked up 68 runs.

In the final two overs Shardul Thakur (1/43) and Natarajan dismissed the two set batsmen and final two overs went for only 18 runs.