• Cummins and Richardson defy Indian batsmen

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    Australian pacers Pat Cummins and Jhye Richardson rocked the Indian batting lineup in Ranchi to help the visitors bag a 32-run win and share Friday’s Turbo Bowler award, writes ANITHA MADIKIZELA.

    Australia’s opening bowling partnership wreaked havoc on India’s batting order in Ranchi during the third ODI to clinch victory by 32 runs and stop the home side from securing the five-match series with two matches left to play.

    READ MORE: Kohli ton helps India edge Aussies

    The pair picked up 3-37 apiece to help bowl out the Indians for 281 in the penultimate over, despite a massive century from India’s captain Virat Kohli. The 22-year-old Richardson made the initial breakthrough by dismissing opener Shikhar Dhawan (1) in the home side’s poor start to their chase of 314 to win.

    Cummins continued the onslaught with the wickets of Rohit Sharma (14) and Ambati Rayudu (2) in quick succession to leave India struggling on 27-3 after seven overs. Adam Zampa (3-70) then duly ripped through the middle order in another batting collapse that even Kohli’s mammoth 123 (95 balls, 16×4, 1×6) couldn’t rescue.

    Richardson returned to get rid of Ravindra Jadeja and Mohammad Shami in the latter stages of the innings before Cummins combined with his captain Aaron Finch (93) to finish off the Indian batting order with the wicket of Kuldeep Yadav.

    Usman Khawaja picked up the Player of the Match award for his 104 off 113 balls (11×4, 1×6), but the Australian bowling attack certainly stole the show in Ranchi with a world-class display.

    READ ALSO: Cummins scoffs at ‘ridiculous’ captaincy talk

    The Australians will look to square the series with a win in Mohali on Sunday, while India will be keen to wrap up the five-match series before the final fixture in Delhi next week.

    Scorecard

    Photo: Robert Cianflone/Getty Images

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    Anitha Madikizela