SYDNEY (TIP): India were bowled out for 233 runs while chasing the mammoth total of 328 runs against Australia at the Sydney Cricket Ground. India started their tour in early December with a loss to Australia and finish their tour with a loss against the same opposition. In between, they beat all opponents, barring Australia and England. At a press conference, Indian skipper MS Dhoni defended the team: “I think they played good cricket. Over 300 is a difficult score to chase, but it was just above par. They looked like getting 350 at one stage we came back well. The fast bowlers could have done better. When you come to the knockout stages, you have to lift your game. We got off to a good start. Shikhar’s dismissal was soft. There is a pressure when you are chasing 320. I don’t think our lower-order can contribute much in these conditions. I am not sure about it. I am 33, I’m still running and maybe next year, close to the World T20 I will decide whether I want to play the next World Cup or not. Looks like these are the players who will continue forward. Thanks to both the Aussie and Indian fans. It’s a bit disappointing for the Indian fans, but in the end only one team can win.”

Michael Clarke during post-match presentation said: “I feel really tired. Smithy was exceptional. Credit needs to go to all the players. Thanks to MS Dhoni and his team. They have played really well. I am pretty sure MS has got a lot of cricket left in him. The most pleasing things is the way we have trained. I still don’t think we’ve played the perfect game yet, but we know it’s going to be tough against New Zealand. I think we’ll fly to Melbourne tomorrow. We’ll recover in the afternoon. Mentally, we are there for the final, but physically we have to be ready. I am looking forward to playing against New Zealand. I hope we get a lot of support.”

Man of the Match: Steve Smith receives the MoM award for his magnificent 93-ball 105 that undoubtedly changed the game for Australia.