News

Rohit smashes 29th ODI ton as India clinch series decider

By Mumbai Indians

Steve Smith’s ton. Rohit’s hundred. Kohli’s 89. The series decider in Bengaluru was a treat to a cricket fan. Despite losing the toss, Kohli’s men defeated Australia by 7 wickets to clinch the series 2-1.

Here are the five talking points of the game:

Steve Smith shows his masterclass

After closely missing out on a century at Rajkot, Steve Smith went on to register his ninth ton in ODIs. Hitting 14 boundaries and a maximum, he scored a brilliant 131 to take the visitors to a decent total.

Marnus Labuschagne slams his maiden fifty

Batting at number four, Labuschagne went on to register his first half-century in ODIs. The 25-year old added 127 runs for the third wicket alongside Steve Smith before getting out to Ravindra Jadeja.

Mohammed Shami doesn’t disappoint

Mohammed Shami struck early into the innings as he accounted for David Warner’s wicket. While he was taken to the cleaners in the powerplay overs, he bowled really well in the death and ended up with four scalps, which also included the wicket of centurion Steve Smith.

Rohit Sharma rises to the occasion

It was the same ground where Rohit hit his first-ever double century and he didn’t disappoint the crowd this time too. First, he scaled the 9000-run mark in ODIs before launching himself all-out against the Australian attack. He scored a magnificent 119 with six sixes.

Virat Kohli displays his mettle

Coming into bat at No.3, Virat Kohli joined Rohit in the middle and combined for a match-winning partnership of 137 for the second wicket. The Indian skipper carried on and registered his second consecutive half-century in the series before getting out on 89.

With the series win, India continued their unbeaten streak since the 2019 World Cup. Their next assignment begins from Thursday as they tour New Zealand for a full fledged series.