PHOTOS: Faulkner's late blast lifts Australia to victory in Mohali

James Faulkner slammed a quickfire half-century to power Australia to a thrilling four-wicket victory over India in the third One-Day International against Australia, in Mohali, on Saturday.

- Scorecard

Faulkner left the Indians shell shocked with a sensational innings of 64 from 29 balls that helped the visitors take a 2-1 lead in the seven-match series.

Earlier, captain Mahendra Singh Dhoni led from the front with a magnificent century to help India recover from a horror start and post a healthy 303 for nine but his bowlers let him down yet again.

Clint McKay claimed an early wicket for Australia, after the visitors won the toss and elected to bowl first on a sunny afternoon.

McKay dismissed opener Shikhar Dhawan back in the hut after the left-hander edged one to wicketkeeper Brad Haddin for eight, in the second over.

Shane Watson then got Rohit Sharma, caught for 11, as the right-hander top edged the pull shot and was caught by Aaron Finch behind the wickets, who took a good running catch over his head.

Mitchell Johnson then got into the act as he removed Suresh Raina and Yuvraj Singh off consecutive balls to leave India in tatters.

Raina was done in again by the short delivery as he edged while trying to pull the shot and was caught by Shane Watson at first slip for 17.

Local hero Yuvraj Singh disappointed his home fans as he perished off the first delivery he faced, caught behind for a duck.

Virat Kohli, who hit a century in the previous, rallied the Indian innings in the company of captain Dhoni with some sensible batting in the middle overs.

Kohli, who looked in good touch reached his half-century with a brace of Xavier Doherty in the 25th over.

Dhoni too was sensible picking up singles, while getting the odd boundary.

But Kohli couldn’t convert the good start and was dismissed by Glen Maxwell for 68. After hitting for a boundary, Kohli tried to force the ball through the offside, only to get an edge to wicketkeeper Brad Haddin.

Ravindra Jadeja's miserable run with the bat continued as Johnson had the all-rounder walking back for 2. He was the fourth Indian batsman to perish to the short ball as Australia's tactics of bouncing the Indian batsmen paid off.

Dhoni thought kept the scoreboard moving as he forged a good partnership with R Ashwin.

Ashwin played a vital knock of 28 from 35 balls, putting on 76 runs stand for the seventh wicket, before Johnson once again got into the wickets column with the wicket of the right-hander.

Johnson finished with wonderful figures of four for 46 in 10 overs.

When Dhoni walked out to bat, India were reeling at 76 for four in 13 overs but he put his head down to repair the innings early on before unleashing his big sixes towards the end.

Dhoni cut loose in the final overs as he hit consecutive fours off James Faulkner before topping it up with a boundary and a six in Shane Watson's over to lift his team.

He tried to keep the strike so that the lower order had to face lesser number of balls. And almost single-handedly guided the team to a 300-plus total in the end.

Dhoni stole 21 runs in the last over, which was bowled by Faulkner. He played his trademark helicopter shot to the delight of the packed PCA stadium crowd before hitting another six over the long off and a four to get 21 runs from the 50th over.

Dhoni's blazing knock helped India amass as many as 101 runs in the last 10 overs as they finished on a huge 303 for nine in their 50 overs.

Phil Hughes and Aaron Finch provided Australia with a good platform as they put on 68 runs in 12.2 overs for the opening wicket.

Left-hander Hughes hit 22 from 40 balls before he was caught behind off Vinay Kumar.

Australia lost their way after a good start.

Finch was trapped leg before wicket by Ishant Sharma for 38 before Shane Watson was unlucky to be given out leg before wicket by umpire Richard Kettleborough as the ball looked as if it might have missed the leg stump.

Ravindra Jadeja finally came good with the ball.

The left-arm spinner registered wonderful figures of one for 31 in his 10 overs including the key wicket of Watson for 11.

Adam Voges steadied the Australian innings in the company of skipper George Bailey.

The duo put on 83 runs for the fourth wicket before Bailey was given out leg before wicket despite being hit high on his back leg.

However, Voges kept his team in the hunt and ensured he stayed till the end as he made 76 not out from 88 balls.

James Faulkner turned the match on it's head as he went after the hapless Ishant Sharma, in the 48th over of the innings.

He hit him for three sixes and a four to smash as many 30 runs from that over and leave the Indians stunned.

Faulkner ended the match in grand style as he heaved Vinay over midwicket for a six in the final over to help Australia snatch victory from the jaws of defeat. The right-hander finished unbeaten on an amazing innings of 64 from 29 balls, which was laced with two fours and six sixes.

Faulkner and Voges put on an unbroken stand of 91 runs from 8.2 overs to help Australia win by four wickets with three balls to spare and take a 2-1 lead in the series.