Kane Richardson took five wickets, including four in his last four overs, as Australia held on to beat India by 25 runs on Wednesday and extend its lead to 4-0 with one match remaining in the limited—overs international series.
Aaron Finch made 107 and David Warner returned from paternity leave to score 93 as Australia posted a total of 348-8 after winning the toss and batting.
India was coasting at 277 for 1 in reply in the 38th over but lost its last nine wickets for 46 runs, with Richardson taking 4-16 in a match-turning spell and returning 5-68 for the innings.
Shikhar Dhawan scored 126 and Virat Kohli added 106, the pair sharing a 212-run partnership for the second wicket and seemingly setting India on course for a victory, until the dramatic late collapse ended with the visitors all out for 323 in 49.2 overs.
The pattern of the series changed slightly on Wednesday; India batted first in each of the first three matches and lost.
Finch reached his seventh ODI century from 97 balls. It was his first against India and his second at Manuka Oval in the Australian capital.
Warner was the main aggressor in a blazing beginning by the Australian openers who rushed to 40—0 after five overs.
Warner was out in the 30th over when he chopped a ball from Ishant Sharma onto his middle stump.
Finch was out when Australia was 221-2 in the 38th over after he and Mitchell Marsh had added only 34 runs in 8.4 overs. The opener reached 100 with a single from his 97th delivery, two years after his first century at Manuka Oval against South Africa.
Finch was finally caught off Umesh Yadav, skying a pull shot to Ishant Sharma at mid-on.
Finch’s power-hitting claimed one notable casualty. In the 17th over, his straight drive hit English umpire Richard Kettleborough on the right leg and Kettleborough was forced to retire from the match. He was replaced by Australia’s Paul Wilson.
Steve Smith hit the ball powerfully from the outset and reached his 50 from 27 balls.
The Australians lost 5-37 to lose momentum before Glenn Maxwell hit 41 from 20 balls with six fours and a six, falling to the last ball of the innings.
The fifth match will be played in Sydney on Saturday.
Scoreboard
Australia innings: David Warner b I Sharma 93; Aaron Finch c I Sharma b Yadav 107; Mitchell Marsh c Kohli b Yadav 33; Steven Smith c G Singh b I Sharma 51; Glenn Maxwell c M Pandey b I Sharma 41; Gorge Bailey c R Sharma b I Sharma 10; James Faulkner b Yadav 0; Mathew Wade run out 0; John Hastings not out 0. Extras (LB—7, WD—6) 13
Total (For 8 wickets in 50 overs) 348
Fall of wickets: 1—187, 2—221, 3—288, 4—298, 5—319, 6—319, 7—321, 8—348.
Bowling: Umesh Yadav 10—1—67—3, Bhuvneshwar Kumar 8—0—69—0, Ishant Sharma 10—0—77—4, Gurkeerat Singh 3—0—24—0, Rishi Dhawan 9—0—53—0, Ravindra Jadeja 10—0—51—0.
India innings: R. Sharma c Wade b Richardson 41; S. Dhawan c Bailey b Hastings 126; V. Kohli c Smith b Richardson 106; M.S. Dhoni c Wade b Hastings 0; G. Mann c sub b Lyon 5; R. Jadeja not out 24; A. Rahane c Smith b Richardson 2; R. Dhawan c Warner b Richardson 9; B. Kumar c Smith b Richardson 2; U. Yadav c Bailey b M. Marsh 2; I. Sharma c Wade b M. Marsh 0. Extras (nb-1 w-5) 6
Total (all out, 49.2 overs) 323
Fall of wickets: 1-65, 2-277, 3-277, 4-278, 5-286, 6-294, 7-308, 8-311, 9-315, 10-323
Bowling: N. Lyon 10 - 0 - 76 - 1 K. Richardson 10 - 1 - 68 - 5 J. Hastings 10 - 0 - 50 - 2(nb-1 w-1) J. Faulkner 7 - 0 - 48 - 0(w-1) M. Marsh 9.2 - 0 - 55 - 2(w-2) G. Maxwell 1 - 0 - 10 - 0(w-1) S. Smith 2 - 0 - 16 - 0
