The one-day international between India and Australia at the Sydney Cricket Ground was abandoned due to rain. The game could only see 16 overs in which India scored 69 for the loss of two wickets before rain stopped play.
The two teams take two points each from the match, which means that the final league game between India and England on January 30 at the WACA in Perth will be a straight knockout for a chance to play Australia in the final on February 1 at the same venue.
The start of the match was delayed by 40 minutes due to drizzle since morning and there was first rain interruption when India were six for no loss in 2.4 overs. Play resumed with India losing the struggling Shikhar Dhawan for eight in the seventh over and then Ambati Rayudu for 23 in the 13th over.
Mitchell Starc jolted India early as he has removed Dhawan, surprising the batsman on a short ball. David Warner then took a fine catch running behind as Ambati Rayudu, who was looking to score quick runs, was out after a run-a-ball 23. Rayudu was looking very positive but his wicket would have certainly increased India's woes.
Ajinkya Rahane was batting on 28 while Virat Kohli was giving him company on three when rain stopped play. India will have to win their next match against England if they want to qualify for the finals.
Australia in Tri-series final
Earlier, skipper Steve Smith smashed an enthralling hundred as Australia recovered from late jitters to enter the Tri-series final with a thrilling three-wicket triumph over England. Smith's third ODI ton was instrumental in helping the home side chase down a steep target of 304 with one ball to spare after the middle-order failed to offer him steady support.
For England, Ian Bell's 141-run knock went in vain as Smith stole the thunder, continuing his blistering batting form this season.
Smith's knock came off 95 deliveries and included half a dozen fours and a towering six.
Australia's chase was off to a steady start with openers Aaron Finch (32) and Shaun Marsh (45) sharing a 76-run stand.
Finch, who scored at run a ball and struck three fours was yorked by off-spinner Moeen Ali, which was followed by a couple of quick dismissals. From a comfortable, 253/3, the Aussies were reduced to a shaky 275/5 before Smith and Haddin steadied the ship.
However, next man in Smith continued his stupendous run of form even as he struggled to get support at the other end. While Cameron White departed without disturbing the scoreboard, Glenn Maxwell and James Faulkner failed to convert their fine starts.
Maxwell, who looked solid in his 38-ball 37, holed out at deep mid-wicket to Joe Root while attempting a slog sweep off Ali, who was the most economical English bowlers with figures of 2/50 in his 10 overs.
Maxwell shared a 69-run fifth-wicket stand with Smith. Faulkner, on the other hand, fell after adding 35 runs to the total and sharing a 55-run partnership with Smith for the sixth wicket. The all-rounder was dismissed by pacer Chris Woakes.
Smith finally found a firm partner in vice-captain Brad Haddin, who went full throttle in the last 10 overs to take the pressure off his skipper. Haddin was eventually sent back following a 29-ball 42, during which he smashed four fours and a six.
Earlier, opener Ian Bell hit a strokeful hundred only to see England lose momentum at the end of their innings at the Bellerive Oval. Put into bat, England rode on a strong 113-run opening stand between Bell, who struck his eight ODI ton, and Moeen Ali (46) to give the visitors a good start only to see the script reverse in the final 10 overs.
Ali's wicket, who missed on a 50 after falling to James Faulkner (1-53) in the 23rd over, was followed by James Taylor (5) as Australia seemed to pull things back a bit.
Bell, whose 125-ball innings was laced with 15 fours and a six, though carried on in the same vein, stitching up a 121-run third-wicket partnership with Joe Root (69) to once again expose the chinks in Australia's bowling armour.
But rookie Gurinder Sandhu had other ideas as the young medium-pacer finally got Bell in the 43rd over to check England's surge.
Sandhu's well disguised slower ball got the better of a well set Bell, when the opener looped the ball to mid-off for Mitchell Starc to complete the formalities. A ball later, Sandhu struck again, this time sending captain Eoin Morgan out caught behind for a first-ball duck. Root, who completed his eighth ODI fifty, tried to carry on the momentum built by Bell but fell to Pat Cummins (1-74), who tried to undo the damage after being guilty of leaking too many runs in his quota of overs.
Wicketkeeper-batsman Jos Buttler (25) tried to add some quick runs in the end but Australia came up with an improved bowling show in the death overs to allow the visitors just 27 runs from the last five.
Looking comfortable at 244 for two at the end of 40 overs, England saw a big slide as runs were hard to come by and the wicket-fall also did not help their cause. The final 30 deliveries saw three wickets including two run outs and England, who started off in bright fashion, ended on a sombre note.
Australia have won both their games so far while England stand ahead of India, who are winless, in the points table with a win and a loss from two matches.
