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Australia got the better off India in the third T20I as they defeated the visitors by 12 runs to avoid the clean sweep at Sydney Cricket Ground (SCG) on Tuesday.
Put in to bat first, the Aaron Finch and Co. posted 186/5 in their allotted 20 overs, thanks to Matthew Wade and Glenn Maxwell, who scored individual half-centuries. While Wade smashed 80 off 53 balls, Maxwell contributed with 54 from 36 deliveries.
In reply, India could only manage to reach 174/7, with skipper Virat Kohli scoring the maximum 85 runs from 61 balls.
Kohli smashed seven boundaries, including three sixes. His tally of maximums could have been four, but a brilliant fielding effort from Steve Smith did not let it happen.
In the 13th over bowled by Mitchell Swepson, Kohli charged down the track and connected the ball well.
It looked like the white leather would easily sail over the long-on boundary line for a six, but Smith came out of nowhere. He timed the jump perfectly to catch the ball and then released it back into the playing area before falling over the boundary rope.
Here is the video:
That's a six-saving special from Smith! #AUSvIND pic.twitter.com/1jliGv071Y
— cricket.com.au (@cricketcomau) December 8, 2020
Happy to win the game for my side: Swepson
Swepson bowled brilliantly in the game and achieved his career-best figures in the shortest format. The leg-spinner bowled four overs and picked up three wickets for 23 runs. The Queensland cricketer earned scalps of Shikhar Dhawan (28), Sanju Samson (10), and Shreyas Iyer (0).
For his match-winning performance, Swepson received the ‘Player of the Match’ award. After getting the recognition, the right-armer spoke about his act with the ball. Swepson said that he was happy to get the prize and win the fixture for his side.
“Happy to get this award, and win the game for my side. I think that was a bit of a skidder, but I’m happy to say that I gave it a bit of a rip and got that wicket (the Iyer wicket),” said the leggie at the post-match presentation.