Australia struck again at a crucial moment and this time it was Nathan Ellis who turned the game around with a fiery short ball that stunned Axar Patel as India chased down 186 runs to win the third T20I of the ongoing five-match T20I series at the Bellerive Oval in Hobart.
Nathan Ellis bowled at around 90mph and sent a sharp delivery straight at Axar Patel’s head. The Indian all-rounder tried to pull but was completely rushed by the pace. The ball caught the edge of his bat, which spun in his hands, and flew high into the air.
Axar Patel falls due to Xavier Bartlett’s spectacular catch on Nathan Ellis’ short ball in Hobart
And then Xavier Bartlett provided a pure moment of brilliance on the field. The Australian bowler sprinted in from deep and dived full length, just inches from the ground, to pull off a stunning catch. The crowd roared as Ellis celebrated another crucial breakthrough, ending a threatening partnership between Axar and Tilak Varma.
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Bapu (Axar Patel) dismissed for 17 (12) #AUSWINpic.twitter.com/2Z83fDpeDX
— Musharaf45 (@Mushara78386844) November 2, 2025
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Ellis’ perfect execution and Bartlett’s athletic effort put Australia back in control as Axar walked back to the pavilion after scoring a quickfire 17 off 12 balls in Hobart. With his wicket, India’s momentum took a sharp blow as they still need 58 runs in 39 balls with six wickets in hand.
Tilak Varma falls to Xavier Bartlett in the 3rd T20I
After a spectacular catch, Xavier Bartlett didn’t stop there as the Australian pacer struck at the perfect time to dismiss Tilak Varma and put pressure on India’s lower order to end the chase.
Tilak tried to reel in a full delivery from Bartlett that soared over the infield a little more than expected. But the ball hit the top part of his bat and went straight into the air instead of flying over the fielders. Josh Inglis, stationed behind the stumps, kept his eyes on the ball and calmly completed the catch, giving Australia another breakthrough against India.
Tilak’s dismissal for 29 off 26 balls, which included a boundary and a six, put India in an awkward situation. But the Men in Blue managed to pull off a stunning five-wicket win over Australia in Hobart to level the ongoing five-match T20I series at 1-1.
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India makes history in Hobart; Sean Abbott sets an embarrassing record
It was the highest total ever chased at the venue, and India did it on their first ever appearance in Hobart. Washington Sundar and Jitesh Sharma remained unbeaten on 49 and 22 respectively.
Sean Abbott in particular had a tough day with the ball in Hobart, giving away 50 runs in his first three overs during the ongoing third T20I against India. This is now the joint third-highest number of runs conceded by an Australian bowler in the first three overs of a T20I spell.
Interestingly, Abbott already holds the record for the most expensive start by an Australian bowler after conceding 56 runs against India in Trivandrum. He was followed by legendary Australian bowler Brett Lee, who conceded 51 runs against the West Indies at The Oval in 2009.
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