India vs Australia, 3rd T20I at Guwahati, IND v AUS, Nov 28 2023 - Match Result

That's all we have from today. What a series it has been, and who would have thought so soon after the World Cup. Centuries from Inglis, Gaikwad and Maxwell, a last-ball thriller at the start which wasn't a last-ball thriller, five 200-plus totals in six innings, and sadly not much for the bowlers, except learning how to bowl in such unfriendly conditions. There is, of course, the larger picture of the T20 World Cup in just over six months, and the smaller picture today's game ensures the series stays alive. Next game on December 1 in Raipur, so see you that day. Until then, goodbye and good luck!

Vks: "Arshdeep and Prasidh need to improve vastly to be ready for International Cricket. They are still not at the same level."

Rajesh: "Why play Prasidh over Mukesh Kumar? Mukesh's death bowling had been the best in this line-up." Mukesh wasn't available because he has gone for a wedding, his own.

Naresh: "Not only the byes, Ishan also caused a no ball "

The presentation...

Maxwell, who is cramping again, says Deep Dasgupta: It all went by pretty quickly. The dew obviously makes it difficult to hold on to, we knew it was going to be hard work to bowl yorkers, and there probably wasn't a number in our head at the back-end to set ourselves to. We thought if we can stay in the hunt until the last over, we can give ourselves a chance, you never know it might come off the middle and you might stay in the game. We did really well to stay in the game until the final over. Knowing that Axar had one over left meant Wadey had to be out there to cash in and I was trying to take on all the pace bowlers and get the run rate under a little bit under control. The way Wadey controlled the other end and got me through the back-end of my innings and he was brilliant out there.

Wade: You don't get much better than that (the chase). It was hard work getting those 20 overs out and obviously getting the injury late to Kane threw a spanner in the works for the last few overs. It was always going to take our best and [Maxwell] one of the best players that's ever played T20s for Australia played his 100th game and got a hundred, so pretty special for him. I wouldn't say "confident" was on my mind, but we knew here we can bat in chases. When we had five overs left but unfortunately Kane Richardson hurt himself so we were one short and had to bowl Maxi. We really needed this win and a lot of guys are heading home so a chance for the younger ones and hopefully we can take it to the decider with another win. I wouldn't say "confident" was my first thought (to chase 222), but I was pretty grumpy after handing Maxi the last over; before that one went for 30 I thought we were right in the game but unfortunately that one went for 30 and I was more grumpy than confident. Tim David was speaking about being three down that you can bat in chases here and it's hard to hold the ball so we got it done today. When we had five overs left (while bowling), but unfortunately Kane Richardson hurt himself so we were one short and I was hoping we can get a wicket at some stage in those last four overs and then Maxi could get that over out but unfortunately we didn't get a wicket and managed to go for a few runs but all in good fun. Maxi wouldn't have got that hundred if he hadn't tossed those 30 anyway. We really needed this win and a lot of guys are heading home so a chance for the younger ones to learn how to play in India. Hopefully we can take it to the decider with another win in the next game.

SKY: We just wanted to get Maxi out quickly (laughs), that was the plan. But when you're defending 222 with so much dew you have to give something to the bowlers. I felt like how we played at Trivandrum, there was heavy dew, they lost wickets early but wickets in hand for them meant they were always in the game. I told the boys in the drinks break to get Maxwell out quickly but that was insane. I gave Axar the 19th over because he has bowled the 19th and 20th overs before so he's experienced as well and I've always thought an experienced bowler in the end, even if a spinner, with heavy dew there's always a chance. Fantastic knock from Gaikwad, he took the innings deep after I got out. I've always said in franchise cricket as well that he's a special player and the way he batted, he showed it. I'm very proud of my boys.

11pm: What was also astonishing about Maxwell today was that he always knew he could do it an till he was there, Australia were always in the game, unlike that match in Mumbai against Afghanistan, when he started thinking of the win much later in the chase. The way he smiled and did that airplane celebration with his arms spread out and smiled, it was like he knew he would do it. There were also a lot of frustrating moments for him when he didn't connect properly or when he missed a few against Prasidh's six-run 18th over.

10.45pm When he did it in Mumbai, the crowd at Wankhede absolutely loved it because they first saw some great bowling from Afghanistan and then a knock of a lifetime from Maxwell. But today this crowd in Guwahati is left stunned and their entire week has been spoilt by the same man in such similar fashion. A chase that was slipping out of their hands, early wickets lost, the asking rate climbing, a spectacular century, and even though he had made batters for company, he still had to do the heavy lifting especially when Stoinis was batting and until Wade took off. How crucial was that one extra fielder in the circle for the last over? Massive handshakes and ear-to-ear smiles in the Australian dugout because they keep the series alive and that's the parting gift for them from Maxwell. Some records tumbled, obviously, all being sent to me by Sampath:

Maxwell equals Rohit's record for most T20I hundreds.

Maxwell is the first to score a hundred in his 100th T20I. Previous highest score in 100th T20I was 85 by Rohit Sharma.

Prasidh broke record for most runs conceded by an Indian bowler in a men's T20I.

And 53 runs came in the 20th over across both innings in this match, the most for any men's T20 game where we have BBB data.

Most target runs successfully chased in the 20th over in men's T20Is:

21 - AUS vs IND, 2023 Guwahati

19 - WI vs ENG, 2016 Kolkata

19 - SL vs AUS, 2022 Pallekele

Behrendorff: It's a remarkable game but the main thing for me is we got the win. It's a happy hunting ground for me, I've played here twice, picked wickets and not given too many runs by taking advantage of the conditions. Victory is something you always try for when you play for Australia. It's a pretty exciting group and we want to take the momentum forward.

Suyog : "How crucial was that miss by Ishan Kishan to gift 4 byes."

Two to win, one for Super Over. Gaikwad, Kishan, SKY and Prasidh in a conference now, Axar joins them too. Maxwell and Wade take their helmets off to breathe. Some fans have their faces buried in their hands, some are biting away at their nails, some praying, some on their feet

Six off two, Maxwell on 96

10 off three

Maxwell to face with 16 needed off four. Deep third, deep cover, long-off and deep midwicket for him. Can't bowler on the leg side

Deep third, deep cover, long-off and long-on in the deep. Now midwicket goes deep and mid-on comes in. Wide yorker or slower ones coming up?

22 from the last over, they need 21 more. Prasidh's last over gave India a lot of confidence though. India are behind the over rate so only four fielders in the deep

Now 43 off 12

Maxwell and Wade have a quick chat mid pitch

India were 155 for 3 at this time. 50 to get off 19 and Prasidh will bowl the 18th and 20th. Wade on strike