Matthew Wade blasted 80 off 53 balls as Australia beat India by 12 runs in the final Twenty20 international in Sydney. The opener shared a 90-run partnership with Glenn Maxwell, who scored 54 off 36, as Australia posted 186-5.
Captain Virat Kohli’s 85 from 61 balls was the highlight of an India chase that saw them lose wickets regularly.
The tourists had already wrapped up a series victory by going 2-0 ahead on Sunday, but their 10-match T20 winning streak comes to an end.
India won the toss and chose to field, removing captain Aaron Finch without scoring.
Steve Smith’s composed 24 off 23 balls helped settle the hosts’ innings, before Wade and Maxwell punished the India bowlers.
Finch’s gamble of opening the bowling with spinner Maxwell paid off, with KL Rahul being caught on the midwicket boundary by Smith off the second ball of India’s chase.
Smith then dropped a straightforward chance off Kohli on the same boundary, when he was on nine.
Kohli went on to hit four boundaries and three sixes in a fine knock before being caught by Daniel Sams at backward point with 36 needed off the final two overs.
Leg-spinner Mitchell Swepson was the pick of the Australia bowlers with 3-23 as India lost wickets at regular intervals.
A four-Test series will start on December 17 in Adelaide. (BBC Sport)
