Australia’s Shane Watson hits 124 not out – second highest T20 score

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Shane Watson

Shane Watson hit the second highest Twenty20 international score but India still whitewashed his Australia side in the three-match series.

Shane Watson
Shane Watson

Watson, 34, struck six sixes in his 124 not out off 71 balls as the hosts made 197-5, but India chased the total down by hitting 19 off the last over.
Suresh Raina (49) struck a four off the final ball when needing two to win.
He was ably supported by Rohit Sharma (52) and Vihat Kohli (50) as India won by seven wickets in Sydney.
Named captain in place of the injured Aaron Finch, Watson looked to have put the match beyond the tourists with his first T20 hundred after he won the toss.
He surpassed the previous second highest T20 score of 123, made by New Zealand’s Brendon McCullum against Bangladesh in 2012.
The highest individual score is the 156 by Finch against England at Southampton in 2013.
THRILLING LAST-BALL WIN
Watson’s sparkling century silenced his doubters and all but booked himself a ticket to the World T20 in March, but it mattered little as India pulled off a thrilling last-ball victory at the SCG to chase Australia’s 198 and clinch a 3-0 series whitewash.

Requiring 22 from 12 balls, India then needed 17 off six thanks to Watson’s penultimate over, going for just five runs.
Andrew Tye’s first two deliveries were clipped on the leg side for a four and then a towering six to the western side of the ground, to which the big West Australian could only put his hands on his hips. A scampered bye and two twos meant a couple of runs were required from the last ball.

Watson, the new skipper, set his field. He opted for four men in the ring to go with the mirror opposite on the other side.

However, Suresh Raina then slashed Tye over backward point for a match-winning boundary that sent a crowd of 34,527 – most of whom were Indians – into complete raptures. (Excerpts from WAtoday.com and BBC)

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