3rd T20I: Ton-up Gaikwad guides India to 222/3 against Australia
India racked up 222/3 against Australia in the 3rd T20I at the Barsapara Cricket Stadium, Guwahati. The Men in Blue scored over 200 runs for the third T20I in a row, with a record-breaking ton from Ruturaj Gaikwad bolstering them. Suryakumar Yadav (39) and Tilak Varma (31*) also played substantial knocks. Australia's Jason Behrendorff conceded just 12 runs from four overs in the run-fest.
India make a comeback after stumbling
Unlike the first two T20Is, India had a patchy start in Guwahati after Australia invited them to bat. Although the first over fetched India 14 runs, they lost both Yashasvi Jaiswal and Ishan Kishan in the next two overs. Behrendrorff, besides dismissing Jaiswal, conceded a solitary run in two overs. Suryakumar and Gaikwad gained redemption, guiding India to 43/2 in six overs.
SKY becomes Aaron Hardie's maiden T20I scalp
Suryakumar and Gaikwad shared a 57-run stand after India were reduced to 24/2. The former was the aggressor, smashing a 29-ball 39 (5 fours and 2 sixes). Young Aaron Hardie dismissed Suryakumar, making the Indian captain his first scalp in T20I cricket.
Behrendrorff once again shows his class
Behrendrorff was once again Australia's most economical bowler in the match. The left-arm seamer continued to spray the ball in the good-length area. Behrendrorff bowled an outstanding first spell before finishing in the middle overs. The Australian seamer conceded just 12 runs from four overs, taking a solitary wicket. He recorded an economy rate of 3.00 in a high-scoring encounter.
Gaikwad slams a 52-ball ton
Gaikwad started in his usual watchful manner. However, he duly punished the poor deliveries. The highlight of Gaikwad's knock was his scintillating strokes in front of the wicket. Gaikwad shared a crucial stand with Suryakumar before adding 141 runs with Tilak. Gaikwad completed his century in the final over off 52 balls. He smashed a 57-ball 123* (13 fours and 7 sixes).
Second-highest individual score for India in T20Is
Gaikwad recorded the second-highest individual score for India in men's T20Is. He is only behind Shubman Gill, who smashed an unbeaten 126 against New Zealand in Ahmedabad earlier this year. Gaikwad surpassed Virat Kohli, whose 122* came in the form of his maiden T20I ton (Asia Cup 2021). Gill, Gaikwad, and Kohli are the only three Indians with scores of over 120 in T20Is.
First Indian with T20I ton against Australia
Gaikwad has become the ninth Indian to slam a century in men's T20Is. The others are Rohit Sharma, Suryakumar, KL Rahul, Suresh Raina, Kohli, Deepak Hooda, Gill, and Yashasvi Jaiswal. Only Rohit (4), Suryakumar (3), and Rahul (2) have multiple T20I tons. Notably, Gaikwad has become the only one with a ton against Australia in the format.
Second-most runs by an Indian in last three overs
Gaikwad hammered Aaron Hardie for 3 sixes and a four in the 18th over. It turned out to be a 25-run over. In the final over, Gaikwad slammed 3 sixes and 2 fours against Glenn Maxwell. As per Bharath Seervi, Gaikwad is the second Indian after Yuvraj Singh to have smacked over 50 runs in the last three overs of a T20I.
Joint-most expensive returns for Australia in T20Is
Young Hardie conceded 12 and eight runs in his first two overs in T20I cricket. However, his third over cost Australia 25 runs where Gaikwad went berserk. The right-arm seamer conceded 64 runs in three overs, the joint-most expensive returns for Australia in T20Is, as per Cricbuzz. Andrew Tye gave away 64 runs against New Zealand in 2018 in Auckland.
Most runs conceded by an Australian in an over (T20Is)
Australian skipper Matthew Wade asked Maxwell to bowl the final over after Hardie went for runs. Maxwell leaked 30 runs, the most conceded by an Australian bowler in an over in T20Is. He went past Brett Lee (27 vs WI, The Oval, 2009).
