India's tailenders pulled off a miracle victory against Australia, defeating the visitors by two wickets on Wednesday in a nail-biting finish to the final limited-overs match in Mumbai.
India crossed the victory target of 194 in the 46th over after bundling Australia out in 41 overs.
The win was a consolation for India which had already lost the seven-match series in the previous game in Nagpur. Australia claimed the series 2-4.
This was India's first successful one-day chase against Australia since April 24, 1998.
In reply to Australia's 193 in 41 overs, India were floundering at eight for 143, before a 52-run ninth-wicket stand between Murali Kartik and Zaheer Khan took them to victory.
Kartik won the man-of-the-match for a career-best performance, snapping up six wickets for just 27 runs.
He then capped his magical bowling spell with a gritty innings of 21 off 34 balls along with Khan, who scored a composed 31 off 43 balls.
After reducing India to six for 64, Australia were frustrated by a 65-run partnership between hard-hitter Robin Uthappa and tailender Harbhajan Singh.
Uthappa scored a sparkling 47 runs off 59 balls before he fell LBW to Michael Clarke
Hopes of a late-order revival dimmed when pace bower Mitchell Johnson took Singh's wicket.
Australia had rattled the Indian top order in the first 20 overs.
Johnson triggered the top-order collapse with two quick wickets of Saurav Ganguly and Dinesh Karthik, leaving India reeling.
Johnson struck in his first over, pitching it up to Ganguly who was caught behind by Adam Gilchrist. Karthik, who came in place of an out-of-form Rahul Dravid, failed to make an impression, also nicking one from Johnson to the keeper.
The pressure grew when Tendulkar (21) dragged a Brett Lee inswinger onto the stumps and the home team were 38 for 3 wickets.
Nathan Bracken quietened the Indian fans with two wicket maidens. He first got rid of an uncharacteristically quiet Yuvraj Singh (15), following it up with skipper Mahendra Dhoni (five).
Gilchrist notched up his 400th catch in limited-overs cricket when he took a low-edge off Dhoni. The wickets continued to fall, with all-rounder Irfan Pathan edging an easy catch to the slips.
Australia looked like it had wrapped up the game. But then the Indian tail decided to wag.
The low-scoring game played on a lively Wankhede Stadium wicket saw as many as seven ducks -- three on the Indian side and four for the visitors.
RSS