GUWAHATI: Glenn Maxwell’s fiery unbeaten hundred carried Australia to a five-wicket win over India in the third T20I here on Tuesday.

With this win, Australia managed to cut India’s series lead to 2-1 in the five-match rubber.

Maxwell made 104 off 48 balls (8x4, 8x6) as the Aussies went past India’s 222 for 3 in the last ball of the match.

Skipper Matthew Wade remained not out on a crucial 28 off 16 balls. Leg-spinner Ravi Bishnoi took two wickets for India.

Earlier, Ruturaj Gaikwad displayed brute power and wonderful technique in equal measure with a maiden hundred that propelled India to a commanding 222 for 3.

Gaikwad slammed a career-best 123 not out off just 57 balls with 13 fours and seven sixes, a first ton by an Indian batter against Australia in T20 Internationals.

Gaikwad took 30 runs off Maxwell in the 20th over. Skipper Wade’s decision to give a part-time off-spinner 20th over of the innings backfired big-time.

On a wicket that had some extra bounce and swing, India had a shaky start losing both its in-form batters Yashasvi Jaiswal (6) and Ishan Kishan (0) cheaply after

Wade opted to bowl to make use of the dewy conditions. Skipper Suryakumar Yadav (39; 29b) looked set for a big knock with two sixes and five boundaries before debutant pacer Aaron Hardie dismissed him with a short ball just after the halfway mark. With runrate not an issue -- eight per over -- they needed someone to anchor their innings, and the Indian vice-captain Gaikwad played the role to perfection.

From 13 off 15 balls, the right-hander with orthodox technique, who often drew flak for his slow starts, switched gears after Surya’s dismissal, displaying the wide array of shots in his repertoire. His knock was not just about classical drives in the V but also a testament to his brute power. He packed a lot of punch in his pulls and an inside-out maximums. It was a different Gaikwad on display during last six overs.

Once he got his first 50 off 32 balls, he then went berserk, taking another 20 to bring up his maiden triple digit score in the last over of Maxwell.

Gaikwad muscled Maxwell over wide long to bring up his century with a six as he smashed two more in the same over that yielded 30 runs as India amassed 200-plus totals in each of the three T20Is so far.

BRIEF SCORES: India 222/3 in 20 overs (R Gaikwad 123*) lost to Australia 225/5 in 20 overs (G Maxwell 104*)