Hardik Pandya scored an unbeaten 42, as India defeated Australia by six wickets in the second T20 international at the Sydney Cricket Ground on Sunday.
After being sent into bat by skipper Kohli, Australia’s stand-in skipper Matthew Wade along with D’Arcy Short got their team off to a quickfire start. The duo added 47 runs for the opening wicket, before the latter fell to T Natarajan in the fifth over.
Wade (58) looked set for a big score, but a bad mix up with Steve Smith resulted in his downfall, reducing the home side to 75/2.
The pair of Smith and Glenn Maxwell stitched together a solid 45 run stand for the third wicket, before Maxwell was caught at backward point by Washington Sundar off Shardul Thakur for 22.
The former Australian skipper Steve Smith ensured that there was no loss in the momentum as he scored 46 runs off 38 deliveries. He however was caught by Pandya at long off, with the fielder taking a fine a juggling catch.
A late flourish from Moises Henriques and Marcus Stoinis in the end helped Australia to a mammoth total of 194/5 at the end of their allotted 20 overs.
T Natarajan was the pick of the bowlers with figures of 2/20 in his four overs.
Chasing 195, India got off to a brisk start as the opening pair of Shikhar Dhawan and KL Rahul adding 56 runs for the opening wicket. In the sixth over Andrew Tye who provided the much-needed breakthrough by dismissing the latter for 30.
Skipper Kohli then joined Dhawan in the middle and the duo put on 39 runs for the second wicket, before the latter fell to Adam Zampa for a well made 52 in the 12th over.
Sanju Samson looked good in his brief stay, before he was caught at long off by Smith off Mitchell Swepson, reducing India to 120/3 in the 14th over.
With 47 required off 24 balls, the Indians were dealt a massive blow when Daniel Sams claimed the prize scalp of skipper Kohli for 40.
Needing 14 off the final over, Hardik Pandya delivered when it was needed the most by smashing 2 sixes off Sams to take India home with 2 balls to spare.
The third and the final T-20 would be played at Sydney on December 8, Tuesday.