India whitewash Australia

India completed a clean sweep of their Twenty20 series against Australia after claiming a thrilling last-ball win at the SCG on Sunday.

The visitors chased down Australia’s mammoth target of 198 to complete a 3-0 whitewash and give them a massive confidence boost just over a month out from the World Cup.

Rohit Sharma (52 off 38 balls) and Virat Kohli (50 off 36) scored half centuries while Suresh Raina was outstanding at the death as the Indians posted an unlikely seven-wicket win. Needing 17 off the last over, Raina (49 off 25) and Yuvraj Singh (15 off 12) guided them over the line.

After a record-breaking unbeaten century from stand-in Shane Watson (124 off 71), the Australians set a formidable 5-197 but the Indians put on a superb run chase.

The Indians flew out of the blocks, with Shikhar Dhawan (26 off 8) punishing a wayward Shaun Tait (0-46 off 4 overs) before Watson struck with his second ball to remove the dangerous opener.

Sharma and Kohli continued the onslaught, putting on 78 runs for the second wicket. Sharma continued his purple patch, smashing six boundaries before being removed by legspinner Cameron Boyce with the visitors strongly placed at 2-124.

Kohli reached his 50 before being removed in unusual circumstances four balls later when Boyce collected a bottom edge and it rolled onto the stumps. Requiring 17 off the last over, Singh blasted Andrew Tye for back-to-back boundaries before Raina hit the winning runs.

Earlier, Watson smashed his century in a superb captain’s knock as the home side reached 5-197 from their 20 overs. The 34-year-old, standing in as skipper for the injured Aaron Finch, made a strong case for a berth in the Australian squad for the upcoming T20 World Cup in India.

After being axed from the Test side during last year’s Ashes series, it was Watson’s first international century since the 2013 Ashes Test in Perth. He smashed six sixes and 10 fours as he reached the second highest T20 international score of all time, only behind Finch’s 156 against England in 2013.

The Australians were in early trouble at 3-75 before Watson and Travis Head (26 off 19) put on 93 runs for the fourth wicket. After displaying sublime form all summer, Usman Khawaja was caught behind by Ashish Nehra for 14, to be the first wicket to fall, the first time he was dismissed for less than 50 since October.

Watson and Head then put their stamp on the game with some late hitting by Chris Lynn (13 off 9) ensuring the Australians reached a big total. -theguardian