Washington, Arshdeep star in India's series-levelling win

India made three changes for the third T20I against Australia and all three made an impact as the visitors levelled the series with a five-wicket win in Hobart. Tim David (74 off 38) and Marcus Stoinis (64 off 39) struck quick-fire fifties but Arshdeep Singh's three-wicket haul ensured Australia did not cross 200 as they finished with 186 for 6. In reply, most of the India batters got off to starts but it was Washington's unbeaten 49 off 23, along with Jitesh's 22 not out off 13, that took India over the line with nine deliveries to spare.

Abhishek Sharma gave India a brisk start in the chase, launching a flat six over point off Xavier Bartlett before taking on Sean Abbott - who came in for Josh Hazlewood - with two fours and a six in the second over. Bartlett responded with a tidy third over and then played a hand in Abhishek's dismissal, as the left-hander top-edged a pull off Nathan Ellis to depart for a 16-ball 25, with Bartlett completing a fine catch. Suryakumar Yadav's sixes off Ellis and Abbott took India past fifty, but Shubman Gill fell in the sixth over - trapped in front by Ellis for 15 after striking a boundary - as India closed the powerplay at 64 for 2.

Suryakumar's outing ended on 24 as he chipped a catch to cover to give Stoinis a wicket. Tilak Varma's positive start - including a six off Matthew Short - and Axar Patel's boundary off Bartlett lifted India to 105 for 3 after 10 overs. Ellis, however, struck again to end the stand, dismissing Axar for 17 and picking up his third wicket. Washington Sundar, replacing Kuldeep Yadav, made an instant impact with a six off Ellis and a four off Matthew Kuhnemann. He then took a particular liking to Abbott, smashing a four and two sixes in the 14th over. Bartlett returned to remove Tilak, who scooped a catch to the wicketkeeper, before Jitesh Sharma - India's third change, in for Sanju Samson - struck a boundary to take India to 152 for 5 after 15 overs.

Needing 35 off the last five overs, Jitesh executed a clever scoop of Ellis in the 16th over for his second boundary. Washington then saw Stoinis tipping the ball over the boundary for a six as India brought down the equation to 16 off 18. Jitesh got a lucky break as he was put down by Mitch Owen off Stoinis and, in the same over, Washington hit another four. Washington moved to 49 when he saw Jitesh finish it off with a four in the 19th over off Abbott as India completed a comfortable win.

Earlier, opting to bowl, India struck early as Arshdeep, who came in for Harshit Rana, had Travis Head miscuing to mid-off in the opening over. The left-arm seamer struck again in his next, dismissing Josh Inglis who top-edged a pull. David, in at No.4, got going with a boundary off Jasprit Bumrah, followed by a four and a six off Varun Chakaravarthy. He was also given a reprieve when Sundar put him down at backward point in Bumrah's over, with Australia ending the powerplay at 43 for 2.

David provided the momentum in the middle overs, launching two sixes off Axar in the seventh over and following it up with three boundaries off Shivam Dube to raise a 23-ball half-century. Australia, however, lost ground soon after as Varun dismissed Marsh and Owen off successive deliveries. Stoinis struck a four off Axar, helping Australia to 84 for 4 in 10 overs. David's counterattack continued with two more sixes off Varun in the 11th over, while Stoinis struck a pair of maximums off Dube. Their 45-run stand was eventually broken when David picked out long-off to give Dube his first wicket. Stoinis added a couple more fours to take Australia to 130 for 5 after 15 overs.

India introduced Abhishek in the 16th over, and he was taken for a six and a four by Short. Both Short and Stoinis then found boundaries off Dube in the next over. Arshdeep's 18th went for 18 runs, with Stoinis smashing three fours to bring up a 32-ball fifty. Bumrah bowled a tidy 19th, conceding just six to finish with 0 for 26 from his four overs, while Arshdeep gave away 10 in the final over, dismissing Stoinis after being hit for a four. Australia scored 102 in the second half of their innings but still fell short of the 190 mark.

Brief scores: Australia 186/6 in 20 overs (Tim David 74, Marcus Stoinis 64; Arshdeep Singh 3-35, Varun Chakaravarthy 2-33) lost to India 188/5 in 18.3 overs (Washington Sundar 49*, Tilak Varma 29; Nathan Ellis 3-36) by 5 wickets.