Australia struck again at a crucial moment, and this time, it was Nathan Ellis who turned the game with a fiery short ball that stunned Axar Patel as India chase 186 runs to win the third T20I of the ongoing five-match T20I series at the Bellerive Oval in Hobart.
Bowling at around 140 km/h, Nathan Ellis sent a sharp delivery aimed right at Axar Patel’s head. The Indian all-rounder tried to pull but was completely rushed by the pace. The ball took the edge of his bat, which twisted in his hands, and ballooned high into the air.
Axar Patel falls to Xavier Bartlett’s spectacular catch off Nathan Ellis’s short ball in Hobart
And then, Xavier Bartlett delivered a pure moment of brilliance in the field. The Australian bowler sprinted in from the deep and dove full length, just inches from the ground, to pull off a stunning catch. The crowd roared as Ellis celebrated another crucial breakthrough, ending a threatening partnership between Axar and Tilak Varma.
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Bapu ( Axar Patel) dismissed for 17(12) #AUSvINDpic.twitter.com/2Z83fDpeDX
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Ellis’s perfect execution and Bartlett’s athletic effort brought Australia right back into control as Axar walked back to the pavilion after scoring a quick 17 off 12 balls in Hobart. With his wicket, India’s momentum took a sharp hit, as they still need 58 runs in 39 balls with six wickets in hand.
Tilak Varma falls to Xavier Bartlett in 3rd T20I
After taking a spectacular catch, Xavier Bartlett didn’t stop there, as the Australian pacer struck at the perfect time to dismiss Tilak Varma to put pressure on India’s lower order to finish the chase.
Tilak tried to scoop a full delivery of Bartlett that rose a little more than expected over the infield. But the ball hit the upper part of his bat and went straight up in the air instead of flying over the fielders. Josh Inglis, stationed behind the stumps, kept his eyes on the ball and calmly completed the catch, giving Australia another breakthrough against India.
Tilak’s dismissal for 29 off 26 balls, which included a boundary and a six, pushed India into a tricky situation. But the Men in Blue managed to pull off the stunning five-wicket victory over Australia in Hobart to level the ongoing five-match T20I series 1-1.
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India create history in Hobart; Sean Abbott achieves embarrassing record
It was the highest ever total chased at the venue, and India did it in their first ever appearance in Hobart. Washington Sundar and Jitesh Sharma remained unbeaten on 49 and 22, respectively.
Notably, Sean Abbott had a tough day with the ball in Hobart, giving away 50 runs in his first three overs during the ongoing third T20I against India. This is now the joint third-highest number of runs conceded by an Australian bowler in the first three overs of a T20I spell.
Interestingly, Abbott already holds the record for the most expensive start by an Australian bowler, having conceded 56 runs against India in Trivandrum. He was followed by the legendary Australian bowler Brett Lee, who conceded 51 runs against the West Indies at The Oval back in 2009.
