Watch: Rohit Sharma can't stop laughing as unusual pitch invader causes halt in India vs Australia 3rd ODI
The decisive third ODI between India and Australia is being played at the Chepauk Stadium in Chennai with the series locked 1-1.
The Chepauk Stadium in Chennai is packed to the rafters as India take on Australia in the decisive third ODI at the iconic venue. The series is locked at 1-1 and Australia were all out for 269 batting first in 49 overs. The visitors' innings was a rather interesting one with the momentum shifting constantly between the batting and fielding sides and it was also halted temporarily by a rather unusual pitch invader.
A dog had made its way onto the field after the third ball of the 43rd over causing a slight halt in the proceedings. A stadium official could be seen chasing the dog and at one point, one of the Indian fielders also tried stopping it but the canine kept ploughing on its own merry way. Eventually the canine exited the field and play could resume. The crowd and the players, including India captain Rohit Sharma, seemed to be able to the funny side of the entire situation.
Kuldeep Yadav and Hardik Pandya were the standout bowlers for India. Kuldeep first dismissed David Warner, who came in at No.4 instead of his usual opening position, thus breaking a 40-run stand between him and Marnus Labuschagne. He then got Labuschagne as well after which he got the dangerous Alex Carey out for 38 off 46 with a ripper of a delivery.
Carey fell off the very first ball of the 39th over. Kuldeep tossed it up and sent in a leg cutter slightly short of a length. The ball landed at middle and leg but then turned away to hit the top of off stump. Carey had attempted to push the ball away but it fizzed past his bat to hit the stumps, leaving him looking rather stunned.
Pandya got India the breakthrough after a 68-run opening stand from Australia, getting Travis Head out for 33 off 31. He then got the dangerous Mitchell Marsh as well for a run-a-ball 47. Pandya then dismissed Smith for a duck off three balls to leave the Australian top order rattled. It was partnerships between Labuschagne and Warner and Carey and Stoinis that helped them recover to a certain extent and they had crossed 260 in their innings with two overs left.
However, the visitors could not bat the full 50 overs with Mohammed Siraj dismissing Mitchell Starc. Australia were all out for 269 runs, leaving India with a 270-run target to win the series.
