Hardik Pandya blasted an unbeaten 42 from just 22 balls to steal victory from the jaws of defeat in the second T20 against Australia in Sydney on Sunday.
Australia's score of 194-5, set up mainly by stand-in captain Matthew Wade (58) and Steve Smith (46), was a challenging one.
In the chase, Shikhar Dhawan (52) and Virat Kohli (40) kept the visitors in the hunt but it was Pandya who sealed the match.
With India needing 25 from the last two overs, Pandya hit two fours and two sixes to secure a six-wicket win with two balls to spare. With it, India took an unassailable 2-0 lead in the T20 series.
Australia's bowling attack – without Mitchell Starc, Josh Hazlewood and Pat Cummins – had kept the contest tight. But debutant Daniel Sams was unable to contain Pandya in the final over with 14 needed for victory, the all-rounder hitting two sixes in three balls to end the contest. In all, Pandya hit three fours and two sixes and was named man of the match.
"It's fantastic," said Pandya. "I just wanted to finish it early, I don't like it when it goes down to the wire."
The victory brought delight to a crowd mostly supporting the tourists and, after Friday's 11-run victory in Canberra, secured the series ahead of Tuesday's third and final match in Sydney.
That's as clutch as they come from Hardik Pandya! 💥💥💥
— cricket.com.au (@cricketcomau) December 6, 2020
Final scorecard: https://t.co/KEpZrVTqWs#AUSvIND pic.twitter.com/hbf5u37gqP
Openers Dhawan (52) and KL Rahul (30) had given the tourists a strong start. Kohli looked in great shape but his innings ended on 40 after he chased a high, wide delivery and was caught behind to give Sams a notable first international wicket.
Earlier, with Aaron Finch ruled out by a hip injury, Wade was named Australia's 11th Twenty20 captain, and he led from the front with a typically aggressive 32-ball 58.
Opening with D'Arcy Short, the wicketkeeper-batsman smashed 10 fours and a six to lay a decent platform for Australia's innings before being run out in farcical circumstances, caught ball-watching as Kohli dropped him at cover but collected the ball and hurled it to Rahul at the stumps.
Smith, whose leadership credentials have been ignored since completing his ban for his part in the Newlands ball-tampering scandal, went on to make a solid 46 before he was caught by a juggling Pandya on the boundary.
Glenn Maxwell delivered a 13-ball 22, but the innings stalled in the middle overs and Australia were grateful to Marcus Stoinis and Sams for the 17 runs they plundered off the last over to take the tally to a competitive score.
Seamer T Natarajan, who impressed on debut with 3-30 in the series opener, was again the pick of the Indian bowlers with figures of 2-20 from his four overs
