Ton-up Smith helps Australia beat India, clinch ODI series

Gulf Today Report

Steve Smith scored a blistering hundred as Australia defeated India by 51 runs on Sunday, sealing the one-day international (ODI) series 2-0 with a match to spare at the Sydney Cricket Ground.

After posting a mammoth target of 389, Australia restricted India to 338/9.

Smith followed up his 105 off 66 balls in Friday's first ODI victory with an equally dominant performance.

His knock of 104 from 64 balls was comprised of 14 fours and two sixes.

It was an outstanding all-round performance from Smith, who also helped his team by two superb outfield catches apart from spectacular batting display.

"I felt good from ball one. Got myself in and went hard," Smith said.

"It was another great foundation set by Finchy and Davey (Warner). That enabled myself and Maxi (Glenn Maxwell) to go hard at the back end."

India started with a 58-run stand between openers Mayank Agarwal and Shikhar Dhawan.

The pair departed within a few balls of each other after which captain Virat Kohli anchored the middle order.

Kohli and Shreyas Iyer steadied the innings but the latter fell to Moises Henriques thanks to a stunning catch by Smith at deep midwicket.

Kohli soldiered on with KL Rahul at other end before falling to a brilliant catch, this time by Henriques himself, at midwicket again off Josh Hazlewood.

Kohli made 89 off 87 balls, putting up partnerships of 93 with Iyer and 72 with Rahul.

Rahul and Hardik Pandya then put up 63 for the fifth wicket but both succumbed to the pressure that came with the rising required run rate.

It was India's fifth consecutive ODI defeat -- for the first time since January 2016 -- with the tourists now bidding to prevent a series whitewash in Wednesday's final game in Canberra.