Brisbane
Washington Sundar’s reputation as one of India’s most adaptable all-rounders received a major boost after he was named Impact Player of the Series following India’s 2-1 T20I triumph over Australia.
A video shared by the BCCI on Sunday showed Sundar beaming as team operations manager Rahil Khaja handed him the medal in the dressing room. “Coming over here and getting an opportunity to play in Australia is amazing, and to have contributed to the team’s victory makes me definitely happy,” said the 26-year-old.
Sundar’s performances through the series underlined his value as a utility player in India’s T20I setup. In the third match at Hobart, he was promoted up the order and responded with a blistering 49 off 23 balls — an innings laced with four sixes and three boundaries — guiding India to a five-wicket win.
In the next game, held in Brisbane, he struck with the ball during the death overs, claiming three wickets in just two overs to trigger an Australian collapse. His late spell helped India seal a 48-run win and, ultimately, the series after the fifth match was washed out.
Sundar also praised Khaja’s behind-the-scenes efforts, saying, “It’s such a great feeling to get this medal from him. We know the kind of work he puts in every single day to make our jobs easy.”
The Impact Player of the Series award, recently introduced by the BCCI, recognises players who make decisive contributions in bilateral contests. In the preceding ODI series against Australia, India captain Rohit Sharma had received the same honour for his standout batting displays.