Dhoni Holds Nerve to Win Thriller

Gautam Gambhir's 92 lead the platform for India's successful chase of 270 against Australia in Adelaide in 4th match.

Adelaide: Skipper Dhoni (44*) led from the front to chase down record 270-run target as India beat Australia by 4 wickets in the fourth ODI of the tri-series with 2 balls to spare.

Chasing 270-run target, India lost Suresh Raina (38) after he added crucial 61-run stand with MS Dhoni for the fifth wicket. Raina played a quick cameo of 38 off 30 balls as he hit a six and three boundaries.

After losing Gautam Gambhir (92) and Rohit Sharma (33) in quick succession, skipper Dhoni and Raina played sensibly to take India close to the target.

Gambhir played a brilliant knock of 92 off 111 balls as he led the India run chase from the beginning before Clint McKay trapped him leg before in the 35th over. He is declared man of the match.

Gambhir was slight unlucky to be given lbw as the right-armer's over the wicket delivery seem to land outside the leg-stump. The left-handed opener smashed seven boundaries in his innings and added valuable 76-run stand for the third wicket with Sharma.

Pacer Ryan Harris dismissed Sharma in the 33rd over to give the hosts a crucial breakthrough and reduce India to 166/3 in 32.2 overs. Sharma played a vigilant innings of 33 off 41 balls, which included a huge six and a four as he resurrected the Indian run chase with Gambhir.

Gambhir brought up his 29th half-century soon after the dismissal of Virat Kohli. Gambhir hit six boundaries in his 63-ball patient fifty.

McKay took his second wicket when he had Kohli (18) caught by Peter Forrest at deep extra cover after giving Australia the first breakthrough in the form of Virender Sehwag (20).

Sehwag closed the face of the bat too early while playing an ordinary delivery from McKay that was slanting down the leg side and managed to get an edge as the ball popped up for a simple catch to Hussey.

Sehwag and Gautam Gambhir brought up the Indian fifty in the ninth over.

Earlier, Peter Forrest and David Hussey hit fine half-centuries as Australia set a 270-run target for India.

For India, Umesh Yadav and R Vinay Kumar took 2 wickets each as Australia scored 8-269 in their 50 overs.

Australia lost their seventh wicket in the last over when Matthew Wade was clean bowled by a slower delivery from Vinay.

Australia lost their sixth wicket when Dan Christian (39) was run out by a good throw from the deep by Ravinder Jadeja.

Virender Sehwag took a good diving catch at square leg to dismiss David Hussey off Zaheer Khan.

Hussey hit 5 fours in his 76-ball 72 and reached his fifty off 54 balls after Umesh Yadav dismissed debutant Peter Forrest.

Forrest hit 2 sixes and 5 fours in his 83-ball 66 before Yadav had him caught by R Vinay Kumar at deep mid-wicket. Forrest and Hussey added 98 runs for the fourth wicket.

Forrest is the 11th Australian to hit a fifty on debut.

Captain Michael Clarke edged a Umesh Yadav delivery onto his stumps as Australia lost their third wicket.

Yadav bowled a slower delivery to baffle Clarke (38) who moved away from his stumps and in the end had to reach out for the ball but ended up playing it on.

Australia lost their second wicket when Rohit Sharma's superb fielding effort ran out opener David Warner.

Vinay gave India an early breakthrough when he had makeshift opener Ricky Ponting caught by Virat Kohli at backward point.

Vinay bowled a full delivery on the off-stump, moved it away slightly, Ponting hit inside out and spooned it to Kohli at point.

Brief scores
Australia 8 for 269 (Hussey 72, Forrest 66)
India 6 for 270 (Gambhir 92, Dhoni 44*, McKay 3-53)
Result India beat Australia by four wickets
MOM Gautam Gambhir (India)