Partnership between Richardson and Cummins was really good: Usman Khawaja

Usman Khawaja scored his second hundred of the series as Australia scored 272 after electing to bat in the fifth and final ODI of the series.

The Australian middle-order had a tumble but Usman Khawaja’s second hundred of the series helped Australia put up 272 runs on the board after electing to bat in the fifth and final ODI against India at the Feroz Shah Kotla in New Delhi on Wednesday.

The Australian left-hander, who had missed out on a hundred, scoring 91, in the Mohali ODI, went on to score his second hundred in the last three games to end the series with 383 runs against his name. (India vs Australia, 5th ODI: LIVE UPDATES)

While Khawaja admitted that Australia lost a few wickets in the middle, he said that the 34-run partnership between Pat Cummins and Jhye Richardson took Australia past 270 and helped the side to put a competitive total on the board after being reduced to 229/7.

“Nice to get a competitive total. We have lost a few wickets in the middle, but that partnership between Jhye and Patty was really good,” said Khawaja during the mid-innings interview. (ALSO READ: India vs Australia, 5th ODI: India keep Australia to 272/9 despite Usman Khawaja’s 100)

While Australia enjoyed a 75-run opening start, courtesy Khawaja and skipper Aaron Finch, it was the 100-run partnership between the southpaw and Peter Handscomb that put Australia in position from where they could have scored a big total. Although the Indian bowlers fought back, the visitors still managed to go past 270, on a wicket, which Khawaja thought “gonna get harder” to bat.

The Australian opener hoped that the wicket “will keep wearing” as India bat. (ALSO READ: Bishan Singh Bedi slams ‘poorly kept’ Feroz Shah Kotla pitch)

“When I was out there, I was thinking 280, it’s one of those wickets that is gonna get harder and harder. Hopefully we will bowl well and field well. The wicket is wearing and hopefully it will keep wearing. We will do things that are under our control and hopefully bowl well,” concluded Khawaja.