Australia fend off India in second straight match to seal ODI series

Australia all-rounders Matt Short and Cooper Connolly scored half-centuries as the hosts claimed a two-wicket victory over India at Adelaide Oval to seal their one-day international (ODI) series with a match to spare.

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Number three Short scored a brave 74 after injuring a finger in the field, while 22-year-old talent Connolly celebrated his first international fifty with an unbeaten 61 to reel in India’s 264 for nine with 3.4 overs to spare.

Though Australia stumbled to 260 for eight after late wickets, Connolly pushed the home side within a run of their target before victory came with a wide.

"It was good fun. I was obviously really nervous," said left-hander Connolly. "Super stoked for the boys to get the win."

Rohit Sharma top-scored for the visitors with a hard-earned 73 off 97 balls and overtook Sourav Ganguly to move into third place on India’s ODI runs list.

But it was a deflating night for India who spilled a number of catches and saw Virat Kohli fall for a second successive duck for the first time in an ODI career of more than 300 matches.

In what could end up being Kohli's last tour with India, the 36-year-old number three was trapped lbw by Australia’s rising paceman Xavier Bartlett on the fourth ball he faced.