Chasing 383: Faulkner ton fails to take Australia beyond 326

Double century-maker Rohit Sharma awarded Man of the Match and Man of the Series.

BANGALORE: A run-fest which was maniacal even by Indian standards ended after Australia getting bowled out for 326 in response to India's 383 in the final one day international between the two teams on Saturday in Bangalore, according to Espncricinfo.

After Rohit Sharma's stellar 209, James Faulkner starred with a resolute 116 while breaking the record for the fastest Australian hundred (57 balls) and equalling that of the fastest ODI fifty (18 balls) by any batsman.

The visitors could not get the best of starts in their chase of the mountainous target.

After the whole Australian top order was dismissed cheaply by the Indian attack though, in stepped Glenn Maxwell, James Faulkner and Shane Watson to begin the rescue mission.

Maxwell hit seven sixes on his way to a 22-ball 60, while Shane Watson hit 49 with as many sixes.

With the target still a long way ahead, James Faulkner held his resolve and kept hitting the balls all over the park to keep the candle of hope alight for his team.

In 15 overs, Faulkner and Clint Mckay shared a 115-run partnership to give Australia a chance.

With around 60 runs needed from five overs, the Indians were just beginning to get nervous when Mckay got out, followed by Faulkner, around the 45-over mark to see Australia lose the cup and match by 57 runs.

Faulkner made 116 from 73 balls and six sixes.

Both teams smashed 19 sixes apiece in the 38 sixes hit in the overall match.

Indian innings

Earlier, after Australia won the toss and decided to bowl first in the deciding game of the series, Indian opener Rohit Sharma bludgeoned 209 from 158 deliveries to help his team put up 383 runs on the board.

Sharma became the third batsman to score a double century in ODIs and hit 16 sixes to secure the record for most sixes in an innings, breaking Shane Watson's previous record of 15.

After Virat Kohli was run out for a duck and Suresh Raina and Yuvraj Singh got out cheaply too, skipper MS Dhoni provided a late surge to India with 62.

However, the star of the innings was Sharma by a long distance, who would have carried his bat with a double century under the belt had substitute Moises Henriques not taken a fine diving catch in the very last over.

After his innings, Rohit said it was "probably" the best he has ever played.

"Getting a 200 in ODIs is a wonderful feeling. When I went out to bat, I never thought I'd get a 200. The idea was to stay on the wicket. We know it is a small ground, runs are easy to come by once you are in. I just wanted to stay in and capitalise later."