India clinched a thrilling comeback victory in Hobart, powered by Washington Sundars explosive unbeaten 49 off 23 balls.

At one point, Australia seemed poised for victory. With Tim David raining sixes and Marcus Stoinis scoring a solid fifty, the crowd in Hobart was dreaming of a win. But Indian all-rounder Washington Sundar flipped the script. His unbeaten 49 off just 23 balls turned the match around, sealing India’s win with 9 balls to spare.

Australia, after winning the toss and opting to bat first, had a slow start. But local star Tim David changed the tempo with a blistering 74 off 38 balls, including five sixes—one of which traveled 129 meters. After his dismissal, Marcus Stoinis added 64 off 39 balls, and Matt Short’s unbeaten 26 off 15 helped Australia reach 186/6 in their 20 overs.

India’s most effective bowler was Varun Chakravarthy. Despite being hit for two sixes by David in his first two deliveries, he bounced back to take 2 wickets for 33 runs in 4 overs.

Chasing 187, India was under early pressure as Shubman Gill and Abhishek Sharma fell quickly. Nathan Ellis tightened the screws with 3 wickets for 36 runs in his 4 overs. But India’s middle order gradually took control, shifting momentum back in their favor.

In the final phase, Washington Sundar took center stage. After dropping an easy catch of Tim David earlier, he redeemed himself with the bat. He smashed two consecutive sixes off Sean Abbott, swinging the match decisively. Jitesh Sharma remained unbeaten alongside him, scoring 22 off 13 balls, ensuring India’s 5-wicket win with 9 balls remaining.

Among Australian bowlers, Sean Abbott was the most expensive, conceding 56 runs in 3.3 overs. Without Josh Hazlewood and Adam Zampa, Australia’s bowling lacked bite. Mitchell Owen had a forgettable day—out on the first ball while batting and dropping a crucial catch of Jitesh Sharma late in the game.

Washington Sundar’s innings not only secured India’s win but also reignited confidence and control in Suryakumar Yadav’s squad. Heading into the next match of the series, this performance has injected fresh energy into the Indian dressing room.