India beats Australia by 6 runs in fifth Twenty20 cricket match to win the series 4-1

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BENGALURU, India (AP) — Pacers Mukesh Kumar and Arshdeep Singh shared five wickets as India beat Australia by six runs in their fifth Twenty20 cricket international on Sunday to win the series 4-1.

Kumar took 3-32 in four overs, while Singh (2-40) overturned an expensive spell with a fine last over as India restricted Australia to 154-8 in reply to 160-8.

Shreyas Iyer hit 53 runs off 37 balls for India.

India's Rinku Singh, right, celebrate with his teammates as he holds the winners trophy after winning the fifth T20 match and series against Australia in Bengaluru, India, Sunday, Dec. 3, 2023. (AP Photo/Aijaz Rahi)

India’s Rinku Singh, right, celebrate with his teammates as he holds the winners trophy after winning the fifth T20 match and series against Australia in Bengaluru, India, Sunday, Dec. 3, 2023. (AP Photo/Aijaz Rahi)

India already had an unassailable 3-1 lead in the five-match series after it won the fourth game in Raipur by 20 runs. It also won the first two T20s in Visakhapatnam and Thiruvananthapuram by two wickets and 44 runs, respectively. Australia’s sole victory came in the third match in Guwahati where the tourists won by five wickets, thanks to Glenn Maxwell’s fourth international T20 hundred.

Skipper Matthew Wade won a fourth consecutive toss Sunday and Australia chose to bowl first.

Both sides made one change each. Left-arm pacer Singh came in for Deepak Chahar for India while Australia selected Nathan Ellis for Chris Green, who made his debut in Raipur.

India entered the series after losing the Cricket World Cup final at home to Australia.

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AP cricket: https://apnews.com/hub/cricket