Sundar’s late blitz and Arshdeep’s new-ball spell set up India’s win

Washington Sundar produced a stunning late burst with the bat as India chased down 187 to defeat Australia by five wickets, levelling the five-match T20 series 2-2 at the Ninja Oval (formerly Bellerive Oval) on Sunday. The result marked Australia’s first-ever T20I defeat at the venue, highlighting India’s composure under pressure.

David and Stoinis power Australia to 186/6

Opting to bat first, Australia were jolted early by Arshdeep Singh’s fiery spell. Returning to the side, the left-armer dismissed Travis Head and Josh Inglis inside two overs to leave the hosts reeling at 14 for two.

Tim David (74 off 38) and Marcus Stoinis (64 off 39) then rebuilt with brute force, hammering boundaries across the park. David’s innings included five sixes, four of them straight down the ground and one slapped over cover off Axar Patel. He was dropped on 20 by Sundar off Jasprit Bumrah, a chance that nearly proved costly.

Varun Chakravarthy (2/27) pegged Australia back with successive wickets of Mitchell Marsh and Mitchell Owen, but Stoinis’ late surge ensured a challenging total of 186 for six. Despite India’s efforts, David and Stoinis’ counterattack turned the momentum before Arshdeep and Bumrah closed the innings strongly.

Sundar and Jitesh seal the chase in style

India began the chase with attacking intent. Abhishek Sharma (25 off 16) found early boundaries, while captain Suryakumar Yadav (24 off 11) and Tilak Varma (29 off 26) maintained the tempo. Yet, Nathan Ellis (3/36) kept Australia’s hopes alive with quick wickets and fiery pace.

Enter Washington Sundar. The all-rounder, often seen as a steady anchor, transformed into a finisher blasting 49 not out from just 23 balls. His powerful hitting, especially toward the cow-corner region, showed a fearless side of his batting. He found able support in Jitesh Sharma (22* off 12), who calmly wrapped up the chase in just 18.3 overs.

With the win, India ended Australia’s unbeaten run at the ground. Arshdeep’s early breakthroughs earned him the Player of the Match award, while Sundar’s finishing fireworks capped a clinical display from the visitors.

Australia clearly missed the experience of Josh Hazlewood, with only Ellis managing to trouble India’s deep batting order. The rest of the attack lacked bite against India’s aggressive approach.

The five-match series now stands tied 1-1. The next match will be played at Carrara Stadium, Gold Coast, on November 6.

*Score Summary:

Australia: 186/6 (Tim David 74, Marcus Stoinis 64; Arshdeep 2/25, Chakravarthy 2/27) India: 187/5 in 18.3 overs (Washington Sundar 49, Jitesh Sharma 22*, Abhishek Sharma 25; Ellis 3/36)

Result: India won by 5 wickets to level the series 1-1

PoM-Arshdeep Singh.