Another Maxwell big show

Australian hits an unbeaten 104 off 48 balls to help team beat India and keep the T20 series alive

- Aditya Chaturvedi

For the third time in five weeks, Glenn Maxwell produced a knock for the ages on Indian soil to take his team to victory. After a 40-ball century against Netherlands and that unforgettable double-century against Afghanistan during the ODI World Cup, the Big Show hit an unbeaten 104 off 48 balls to help Australia beat India by five wickets in the third T20 International in Guwahati on Tuesday.

Chasing a daunting total of 223 after Ruturaj Gaikwad scored his first century in international cricket, Australia got over the line off the last ball of the contest as Maxwell equalled Rohit Sharma's record for the most centuries (four) in men's T20 Internationals. The result kept Australia, who had lost the first two games, alive in the five-match series.

Australia relied on Travis Head and Maxwell-their heroes in the recent ODI World Cup triumph to remain in the chase. Head, who was rested for the first two T20Is, was brutal at the top of the order once again and hit eight fours in his 18-ball 35. India pulled things back as Aaron Hardie, Head and Josh Inglis were dismissed off consecutive overs by Arshdeep Singh, Avesh and Ravi Bishnoi. But the visitors fought back as Maxwell and Marcus Stoinis added a 60-run partnership for the fourth wicket in quick time.

India had another little burst as Stoinis was sent packing by Axar Patel to end the 13th over before Tim David was dismissed by Bishnoi for a first-ball duck. But Maxwell kept going hard, hitting eight fours and as many sixes in his innings, and got the support he needed from skipper Matthew Wade in the end.