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PHOTOS: India crash to defeat despite Kohli, Dhawan centuries

Last updated on: January 20, 2016 17:54 IST

Images from the fourth One-Day International between Australia and India, in Canberra, on Wednesday.

IMAGE: Kane Richardson, right, celebrates a wicket with teammate Shaun Marsh during the fourth ODI in Canberra. Photograph:Mark Nolan/Getty Images

Australia fast bowler Kane Richardson claimed five wickets to trigger a lower order collapse as India snatched defeat from the jaws of victory in the fourth One-Day International despite centuries from Virat Kohli and Shikhar Dhawan, in Canberra, on Wednesday.

- Scorecard

India lost nine wickets for 46 runs and were bowled out for 323 in 49.2 overs, in reply to Australia's 348 for eight, after the hosts had elected to bat first.

Australia -- who won by 25 runs, their 18th consecutive victory in ODIs played at home -- lead the five-match series 4-0.

IMAGE: Shikhar Dhawan, right, with Virat Kohli. Photograph:Mark Nolan/Getty Images

Dhawan smashed 126 off 113 balls, while Kohli hit a quickfire 106 off 92, as the duo put on 212 runs for the second wicket before Richardson dismissed both in successive overs to turn the match on its head.

Rohit and Dhawan set a hectic pace from the very start. They were helped by Australia's ploy of starting with Nathan Lyon (1-76) from one end. It helped the Indian batsmen, with Rohit going on the attack straightaway, and the 50-mark came up in just 44 balls.

He played a quick-fire knock which set up the chase and the next pair didn't look back after that.

Dhawan's innings had 14 boundaries and two sixes while Kohli hit 11 boundaries and a six.

Rohit was out after gloving the ball down the leg side off Kane Richardson (5-68) in the eighth over.

Virat Kohli celebrates after completing his century

IMAGE: Virat Kohli celebrates after completing his century. Photograph: Mark Nolan//Getty Images

Kohli and Dhawan then continued smacking the ball at will, and the next 50 runs for India came in just 30 balls, with the 100-mark coming up in the 13th over.

When it started to drizzle, it assured that the Duckworth/Lewis method would be the least of their worries.

Meanwhile, nothing worked for the Australian bowlers on a flat track, as the Indian duo didn't let up the pressure of scoring, that too without offering a single chance.

James Faulkner (0-48), Mitchell Marsh (2-55), Glenn Maxwell (0-10) and Steve Smith (0-16), all were taken for runs in their initial spells as the Dhawan-Kohli scoring rate never dipped below seven-per-over.

Their 100-stand came up in just 78 balls, as Dhawan reached his fifty off 49 balls in the 17th over while Kohli got there in just 34 balls in the 19th over.

They gained momentum further after this as the 150-mark came up in the

20th over and before the end of the 26th over, India had already breached the 200-mark.

IMAGE: Aaron Finch celebrates after completing his century. Photograph:Mark Nolan/Getty Images

When India crossed 250 in only the 34th over, the possibility of a first-ever successful 300-plus run-chase against Australia in Australia became very real.

Dhawan had reached his ninth ODI hundred off 92 balls, in the 31st over, his first ODI century since March last year.

Shortly afterwards Kohli reached his 25th ODI hundred off 84 balls in the 36th over, his second successive hundred of the series. 

At this juncture, it was about one of these two batsmen finishing it off. But after both departed in quick succession the cruised home with Richardson finishing with figures of 5 for 68 runs.

Earlier, Australia produced yet another scintillating batting performance, led by a superb century from opener Aaron Finch.

Finch and David Warner (93) put on a solid 187-run opening stand, before skipper Steven Smith (51) contributed with a breezy half-century and Glenn Maxwell (41) played a cameo towards the end of the innings at the Manuka Oval.

Finch's run-a-ball 107, studded with nine fours and two sixes, was his seventh ODI hundred, while Warner hit 12 fours and a six in his 92-ball knock as they flayed the Indian bowling to all parts of the ground.

David Warner

IMAGE: David Warner hits a boundary. Photograph:Mark Nolan/Getty Images

Australia, having already sealed the series 3-0, made two changes to their side, with Warner returning from paternity leave and Nathan Lyon included in place of Scott Boland.

India made just the one change, Bhuvneshwar Kumar coming in the place of Barinder Sran.

Surprisingly, Ravichandran Ashwin did not make the cut again.

Warner looked like he had never been away and smacked three fours in the fourth over bowled by Kumar and then handed out the same treatment to Umesh Yadav an over later.

The openers took Australia past the 50-run mark in the seventh over, off just 38 balls, inclusive of nine boundaries.

Aaron Finch

IMAGE: Aaron Finch hits a boundary. Photograph:Mark Nolan/Getty Images

Warner reached his fifty off just 46 balls, in the 14th over, while Finch reached that mark off 61 balls in the 23rd.

Ravindra Jadeja (0-51) came on to bowl in the 17th over and was taken for 15 runs in his very first over, signalling an off day for the left-arm spinner.

Australia's scoring continued to race as the 100-mark came up in the 17th over, with Rishi Dhawan bowling a steady spell in the middle overs.

Ajinkya Rahane split his hand webbing in the 20th over whilst fielding and left the field to receive medical care. He did not return for the remainder of the innings, but with four stitches to his right hand did bat in the run-chase.

He was the second casualty of the day, with umpire Richard Kettleborough getting hit earlier in the innings off a Finch drive on his right leg and leaving the field for medical care.

Meanwhile, Warner-Finch breached the 150-mark in the 26th over, and were looking set to continue plundering runs. But Ishant Sharma, who was India's most successful bowler with four for 77, broke the partnership in the 30th over, when he bowled Warner off an inside edge.

IMAGE: David Warner is bowled by Ishant Sharma. Photograph:Mark Nolan/Getty Images

Mitchell Marsh (33) was promoted up the order, but he didn't make the requisite impact at number three.

At the other end, Finch reached his century off 97 balls in the 34th over, but was out soon after, caught by Ishant off Umesh, as the run-rate dipped slightly.

Australia were 237 for two in the 40th over, and thereafter stepped on the accelerator courtesy captain Smith, who played a quickfire 51 runs from 29 balls.

Glenn Maxwell

IMAGE: Glenn Maxwell plays the reverse sweep. Photograph:Mark Nolan/Getty Images

A flurry of wickets fell thereafter, including Marsh and Smith in successive overs, but Australia's momentum was not affected.

Even George Bailey (10) and James Faulkner (7) couldn't make much of an impact, but Glenn Maxwell provided the flouriush at the end, slamming 41 from 20 balls as the hosts scored 111 runs in the last 10 overs.