A fifty from Shikhar Dhawan and solid cameos from Hardik Pandya and Virat Kohli helped India chase 195 in the 2nd T20I in Sydney on Sunday and take a 2-0 unbeatable lead in the 3-match T20I series against hosts Australia.
Hardik Pandya came up with a terrific finishing performance as he hit 42 not out in just 22 balls, hitting 2 massive sixes and 3 boundaries to help India complete a successful chase and maintain their unbeaten record in T20Is in Sydney. Pandya hit those two monstrous sixes in the final over when India needed 14 runs. Giving him company was Shreyas Iyer who played a good hand, hitting 12 from just 5 balls.
This is India’s 9th successive win in T20I cricket as Virat Kohli’s men stretched their unbeaten run in T20Is to 7 series.
India’s chase was nicely set up by KL Rahul and Shikhar Dhawan who added 56 in just 5.2 overs. The two openers were going slow but Andrew Tye helped open the floodgates with a no-ball in the 3rd over. Rahul fell for 30 but opener Shikhar Dhawan kept going and punished the Australian bowlers.
Dhawan departed for 52 from 36 balls but Virat Kohli provided the much-needed push in the middle overs, hitting 40 off just 24 balls. Kohli did not let his guard down despite losing partners as Sanju Samson failed once again to get going after a good start.
When Kohli departed in the 17th over, India looked in a spot of bother but Pandya and Iyer made sure India did not lose the momentum and finished off the chase.
Australia’s stand-in skipper Matthew Wade shines
Earlier in the day, Australia’s stand-in captain Matthew Wade hit a 32-ball 58 to give the hosts a fine start after they were sent in to bat. Wade was severe against India’s new-ball bowlers, including Washington Sundar who had a rare off-day with the ball.
Wade hit 10 fours and a six in the powerplay as he took the India bowlers to the cleaners. However, his opening partner D’Arcy Short departed early as T Natarajan once again gave India the powerplay wicket. Wade departed for 58 after a comical run-out.
Kohli alert after drop catch to remove Wade
Virat Kohli’s catching issues continued as he dropped a sitter when Wade got a leading edge in Washington Sundar’s over. However, there was a bad mix-up between Wade and Steve Smith which resulted in the skipper’s run-out. IT was Kohli who stayed alert even after the drop catch and affected the run-out.
However, Smith continued his fine form in Sydney as he stitched crucial partnerships with Glenn Maxwell and Moises Henriques. Maxwell was looking dangerous but the big-hitter failed to convert his start into a big innings. Shardul Thakur got the big wicket to come back strong after leaking aplenty in the powerplay.
Natarajan impresses, off-day for Chahal, Chahar
Smith was looking set to cut loose at the death but Yuzvendra Chahal got the big wicket in his final over before finishing with poor figures of 51 for 1 in 4 overs.
T Natarajan returned to pick up the wicket of Moises Henriques. The left-arm pacer, who made his international debut last week in Canberra, has continued to impress as he finished with figures of 2/20.
However, Deepak Chahar had a bad day at the office, leaking 48 runs in 4 overs. His last over cost India 17 runs as Marcus Stoinis, who walked in at No. 6, played the finisher’s role to perfection and helped Australia’s total go past 190.
