Australia beat India by three runs in a thrilling game that fluctuated in both directions till the very end. And amidst the joyous scenes that saw the Aussies win, there was a lonesome and furlong figure of Sachin Tendulkar, who had played one of his best ever innings in ODI cricket to bring the Indians so close. 
India was chasing a total of 351 for a win in the fifty overs, and apart from Virender Sehwag at the top, were in a huge strife. Their run-rate was good, but looked to have lost one wicket too many when captain MS Dhoni smashed one straight to the fielder’s hand in the point region. At that stage, India was 162/4 and needed another 189 for a win in around 26 overs.
As it turned out, Suresh Raina and Tendulkar were involved in a 137-run stand for the fifth wicket that brought India to within touching distance of a win. The batting Powerplay was yet to be taken, and India needed only 52 runs off 48 balls, when Raina was caught pulling a short delivery from Shane Watson. Harbhajan Singh, who was promoted up the order edged one to the wicket-keeper, but Tendulkar held on. 
He was on 175 (141 balls), while Ravindra Jadeja scored 23 to bring the Indians within 19 runs of the target and they had 18 balls in hand to achieve this! It could not get easier than this when Tendulkar paddle swept Clint Mckay into the hands of the short fine-leg, while Jadeja ran himself out to leave the visitors with a win and a 3-2 lead.
Earlier, the Aussie batting was terrific as they took full toll of the beautiful wicket at Hyderabad. Shane Watson saw through the first few overs, but once he had his eye set, he kept pulling the balls disdainfully to all parts of the ground. He scored 93 before getting out to Harbhajan Singh, but Marsh continued to get set and reached his century. 
Ricky Ponting scored a run-a-ball 45, but it was the fourth wicket stand of 80 runs off 43 balls between Michael Hussey and Cameron White that took the total up to 350/4 in the fifty overs. White’s 57 came off only 33 balls and had five sixes in it as the Aussies were well on their way to taking a 3-2 lead in the series.