Sports - November 2, 2025

Washington Sundar’s Explosive 49 Powers India to Four-Wicket Win in Hobart, Levels Series 1–1*

team maverick November 2, 2025

0 10 min read

Hobart, Nov 2025 : India produced a spirited all-round performance to defeat Australia by five wickets in the third T20I at the Bellerive Oval on Sunday, levelling the five-match series 1–1. While the chase of 187 ebbed and flowed, the night ultimately belonged to Washington Sundar, whose unbeaten 49 off just 23 deliveries rescued India from a precarious position and turned the contest decisively in the visitors’ favour. His knock, laced with three boundaries and four towering sixes, sealed the victory with nine balls to spare and handed Australia their first loss in six T20Is at Hobart.

Australia, riding on blazing half-centuries from Tim David and Marcus Stoinis, posted a competitive 186/6. But India matched the hosts punch for punch—first through disciplined bowling led by Arshdeep Singh, and later through a composed yet dynamic batting effort that culminated in Sundar’s breathtaking late assault. Despite Nathan Ellis’ three-wicket haul, Australia were unable to halt India’s surge in the final overs.

Australia’s Power-Packed Start and India’s Disciplined Fightback

Australia’s innings was full of momentum shifts. Travis Head began by swiping Arshdeep Singh for a boundary, but the left-arm seamer struck back immediately, inducing a mis-hit straight to mid-off. Josh Inglis followed soon after, pulling a short ball directly to square leg, giving Arshdeep his second wicket inside the powerplay.

Promoted to number four, Tim David wasted no time settling in. He signalled his intent early by driving and lofting Jasprit Bumrah and Arshdeep for boundaries. His battle with Varun Chakaravarthy was intriguing—despite smashing the spinner for a six and four in his first over, he survived a sharp chance at point when Washington Sundar put down a tough catch off Bumrah.

David shrugged off the let-off with ruthless hitting. He launched Axar Patel for consecutive sixes, the second a monstrous 129-metre blow that carried onto the stadium roof—one of the biggest sixes witnessed in Hobart. Shivam Dube’s medium pace met a similar fate, as David pounced on anything even fractionally short or wide, racing to a 23-ball fifty with a boundary through backward point.

Stoinis joined in with his own counterattack, unsettling the Indian bowlers by hitting eight boundaries and two sixes during his 39-ball 64. His partnership with David appeared to be steering Australia toward a 200-plus total. But India fought back through Chakaravarthy’s dramatic ninth over—dismissing Mitchell Marsh, who struggled to find rhythm, and Mitchell Owen in successive deliveries. The double strike halted Australia’s acceleration just when they seemed poised to run away with the innings.

Yet David continued to launch his trademark big hits—including two straight sixes off Chakaravarthy’s next over—before eventually mistiming a lofted shot to long-off off Shivam Dube. Stoinis kept the innings going alongside Matthew Short, as the pair picked boundaries to push the score beyond 150. Stoinis even received a reprieve when Rinku Singh’s low diving effort was ruled grounded.

Arshdeep, returning for the death overs, closed Australia’s innings with precision. Bumrah and Arshdeep delivered yorkers and low full tosses almost at will, conceding only 16 runs in the final two overs. Arshdeep removed Stoinis in the final over to finish with 3/35, while Chakaravarthy returned solid figures of 2/33.

India’s Stuttering Yet Steady Chase

India began their chase with aggression. Abhishek Sharma looked in fluent touch, slicing Xavier Bartlett for six before punishing Sean Abbott for two boundaries and a maximum in quick succession. But Nathan Ellis swung the momentum back Australia’s way with two wickets in the space of four balls. Abhishek top-edged a pull shot to the keeper, while Shubman Gill was trapped plumb in front.

Suryakumar Yadav walked in at 24/2 and sought to stabilise the innings. The Indian captain showed his characteristic flair, lifting Ellis and Abbott for sixes and slicing Matthew Kuhnemann for a boundary. His stay, however, was short-lived as he chipped a slower delivery from Marcus Stoinis straight to extra cover.

India’s rebuilding continued through Tilak Varma, who rotated strike smartly while picking timely boundaries. But Axar Patel’s dismissal in the 12th over—fending an Ellis bouncer straight to mid-wicket—once again left India under pressure. At 96/4, Sundar walked in with the match delicately poised.

Sundar’s Heroics Turn the Match

Washington Sundar began with typical calmness but soon revealed his attacking intent. He launched Ellis over mid-wicket for six and pulled Kuhnemann through square for four. The momentum shifted dramatically in India’s favour during the 14th over, bowled by Sean Abbott, from which Sundar plundered 19 runs. A tennis-style forehand swat for four, a muscular whip over square leg for six, and another towering pull for maximum powerfully altered the trajectory of the match.

Tilak Varma’s dismissal for 29, attempting a scoop off Bartlett, momentarily gave Australia hope. But Jitesh Sharma joined Sundar with positive intent, scooping and driving for crucial boundaries. Sundar, unfazed, continued to target the shorter side of the field, clearing backward square leg with ease and drilling a full toss from Stoinis straight over the bowler’s head.

India needed only a handful of runs by the 19th over, and Jitesh Sharma sealed the chase in style with a cleanly struck lofted drive over extra cover. Sundar remained unbeaten on 49, a knock that balanced composure with fearless power-hitting.

A Series Levelled and New Heroes Emerging

India’s victory was built on contributions from several corners—Arshdeep’s early strikes and death-over mastery, Chakaravarthy’s crucial breakthroughs, Abhishek’s aggressive start, and Tilak’s stabilising knock. But Sundar’s match-winning innings towered above them all. Coming in at a pressure-filled juncture, he displayed maturity well beyond his years and confidence befitting a modern finisher.