India-Australia
Rohit Sharma smashes century, Kohli scores unbeaten 74 to help India beat Australia by nine wickets in third ODI
Silencing critics and displaying their wide array of shots and skills needed to be part of the next World Cup team, Rohit Sharma hammered a stylish century, and Virat Kohli played a heroic 74 that helped India beat Australia by nine wickets in the third ODI match of the series, preventing the hosts from registering a clean sweep on Saturday.
Sharma, whose fit figure was making the headlines before the beginning of the series, lit up firecrackers all across the park by smashing 13 boundaries and three sixes in his 125-ball unbeaten 121-run knock.
In his first appearance for India since exiting as the captain and passing on the baton to younger Shubman Gill, Sharma failed in the first two matches but came back strong to help India score 237 runs for the loss of one wicket in reply to Australia's 236 all out in Sydney.
Kohli and Sharma, who perhaps played their last tournament on Australian soil, stitched an unbeaten 168-run partnership to help the tourists cross the winning score.
Virat stepped into the ground after Gill (24) departed early and then played some sizzling shots with his bat to score 74 runs not out, and helped Rohit continue with his flashy shots on the other end of the crease.
The Australian bowlers struggled in front of the mature cricketer veterans who only appear in the 50-over format for their national sides now.
In his stylish innings, Kohli contributed seven boundaries.
Australia had set a competitive target of 237, with Travis Head (29) and captain Mitchell Marsh (41) providing a steady start.
Indian pacer Harshit Rana, put up a spirited show with the white ball and wreaked havoc, taking four crucial wickets for 39 runs in 8.4 overs, including the scalps of Alex Carey, Mitchell Owen, Cooper Connolly, and Josh Hazlewood.
Other bowlers – Mohammed Siraj, Axar Patel, Prasidh Krishna, Kuldeep Yadav, and Washington Sundar – bowled with discipline, ensuring Australia never recovered from the mid-innings jolt they received.
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