India won match

Dhoni keeps cool, India script history

3RD ODI MS anchors tricky MCGchase forIndia’s first bilateral series win in Aus

Melbourne, Jan 18, 2019 (AFP) -Master finisher Mahendra SinghDhonieasedIndiatoaseven-wicketvictorytoclinchtheir one-day international series againstAustraliainMelbourne onFriday. The unflappable veteran wicketkeeper hit his third halfcenturyofthethree-gameseries to again prove the difference after his match-winning knock inthesecondgamein Adelaide. The37-year-oldwicketkeeperbatsmankepthisusualcoolduringanunbeaten87off114ballsas India chased down Australia’s 230withfourballstospareatthe MelbourneCricketGround. Itconsummatedahugely-successful tour ofAustralia where ViratKohli’steamalsoclaimed ahistoric first-ever 2-1 Test serieswindownunder. Dhoniwasgiventremendous

supportfromKedarJadhavwith abelligerentunbeaten61from57 ballsinamatch-winning121-run stand.

India wrapped up the ODI

series after losing the opening match in Sydney by 34 runs beforelevellingwithasix-wicket win in Adelaide to setupthe decider inMelbourne. Dhoni,amuch-lovedsporting

herobackhome,captainedIndia to aWorld Cup win in 2011.He quit Tests in 2014, and stepped down as the limited-overs skipperthreeyears later. Kohli lookedset for another

big scorebeforehewas caught behind offJhye Richardson for 46 off 62 ballsinthe 30th over leaving his side at 113 for three. Dhoniand Jadhav tookup

whereKohlileftoffguidingtheir teamtoaconvincingvictory. India leg-spinnerYuzvendra

Chahalearliercapturedthebest figuresbyanybowlerinone-day cricket in Australia to restrict thehomeside to just 230. Chahal, playing in his first

matchintheseriesaftercoming in for Test wrist-spinner KuldeepYadav, mesmerised the Australianswithhis six for 42. Chahalsharestherecordwith

fellowIndianAjitAgarkar,who claimedthesamefiguresagainst Australia at the Melbourne CricketGroundin 2004. Only Peter Handscomb

showedanyappreciablefightfor Australiawithhis 58 off63 balls beforehebecameoneofChahal’s victims. Itwasanunderwhelmingbatscorecard n AUSTRALIA

ACarey cKohli bKumar 5(11)

AFinchlbwKumar14(24) UKhawaja c&bChahal

34 (51)

SMarsh st Dhoni bChahal 39 (54) PHandscomb lbwbChahal 58 (63) MStoinis cSharmabChahal 10 (20) GMaxwell cKumarbShami 26 (19) JRichardson cJadhavbChahal 16 (23) AZampacShankar bChahal8 (14) PSiddle notout

BStanlakebShami n Extras (lb2,w8)

n Total (all out; 48.4 ovs)

10 (11) 0(2)

10 230

n FoW: 1-8, 2-27,3-100,4-101,5-123, 6-161, 7-206, 8-219,9-228.

n This turned out to be ahugely successful tourofAustralia whereVirat Kohli’s team alsoclaimed ahistoricfirst-ever2-1 Test series win.

tingperformancebytheAustralians,who managed just 17 boundaries before they were bowledoutwitheight balls left. Australia’s openers again

failed to get astart and Alex Carey was out in the thirdover whenhegotanickoffBhuvneshwar Kumar and was taken by Kohli atsecond slip for five. HispartnerAaron Finchfollowed six overs later again to Kumartrappedlegbeforewicket for 14. Shaun Marsh andUsman Khawaja steadied the innings before Adelaide centurion Marshwassmartlystumpedby Dhoni offawidedown the legsidefromChahalfor 39. Khawajafollowedthreeballs

laterwhenhegotathickleading edgeandofferedChahalareturn catch for 34. MarcusStoinislasted20balls

beforehebecameChahal’sthird victim, caught at slip by Rohit Sharmafor10,leavingAustralia rockingat123forfiveinthe30th over.

n Bowling:BKumar8-1-28-2;M Shami 9.4-0-47-2; VShankar 6-0-23-0; KJadhav6-0-35-0; R Jadeja 9-0-53-0;Y Chahal10-042-6.

n INDIA

RSharmacMarsh bSiddle9(17) SDhawanc&bStoinis

VKohli cCareybR’son 46 (62) MDhoninot out

KJadhav notout n Extras (lb 1, w7)

23 (46)

87 (114) 61 (57)

8

n Total (3 wickets; 49.2 overs) 234 n FoW: 1-15,2-59, 3-113. n Bowling:J Richardson 10-1-27-1; PSiddle 9-1-56-1;B Stanlake 10-0-49-0;G Maxwell 1-0-7-0; A Zampa10-0-34-0;MStoinis 9.2-0-60-1