Australia struck again at a crucial moment, and this time, it was Nathan Ellis who turned the game around with a flamboyant short ball that stunned Axar Patel as India chased 186 to win the third T20I of the ongoing five-match T20I series at the Bellerive Oval in Hobart.
Bowling at around 140 km/h, Nathan Ellis sent a fast delivery straight at Axar Patel’s head. The Indian all-rounder tried to pull but was completely dodged due to the pace. The ball took the edge of his bat, which turned in his hands and bounced into the air.
Axar Patel took a brilliant catch of Xavier Bartlett on the short ball of Nathan Ellis in Hobart.
And then, Xavier Bartlett provided a pure moment of brilliance on the field. The Australian bowler dived deep, just inches from the ground, and took a brilliant catch by diving at full length. When Ellis celebrated another important success, ending a dangerous partnership between Akshar and Tilak Verma, the crowd started shouting loudly.
Bapu (Akshar Patel) out on 17(12) runs #AUSvINDpic.twitter.com/2Z83fDpeDX
– Musharraf45 (@Mushara78386844) 2 November 2025
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Ellis’ precise execution and Bartlett’s athletic effort put Australia back in control as Axar returned to the pavilion after a quickfire 17 off 12 balls in Hobart. With his wicket, India’s momentum took a sharp blow as they still needed 58 runs from 39 balls with six wickets in hand.
Tilak Verma lost to Xavier Bartlett in the third T20 match
After taking a brilliant catch, Xavier Bartlett didn’t stop there as the Australian fast bowler put pressure on India’s lower order to chase down the target by dismissing Tilak Verma at the right time.
Tilak tried to scoop a full ball from Bartlett which rose slightly higher than expected from the infield. But the ball hit the upper part of his bat and instead of flying over the fielders, it went straight into the air. Josh Inglis, positioned behind the stumps, kept an eye on the ball and completed the catch calmly, giving Australia another success against India.
Tilak’s dismissal after scoring 29 runs in 26 balls, which included a four and a six, put India in a difficult position. But the Men in Blue registered an impressive five-wicket win over Australia in Hobart to level the ongoing five-match T20 series 1-1.
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India created history in Hobart; Sean Abbott made a shameful record
This was the highest score ever at the venue, and India did so in their first appearance in Hobart. Washington Sundar and Jitesh Sharma remained unbeaten on 49 and 22 runs respectively.
In particular, Sean Abbott had a tough day with the ball in Hobart, conceding 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, having given away 56 against India in Thiruvananthapuram. He was followed by the great Australian bowler Brett Lee, who scored 51 against West Indies at The Oval in 2009.