Team India hold their nerves and wins the T20I series against Australia. Virat Kohli and his men registered yet another T20I series win and made it 11 consecutive wins in a row. It was a complete team effort from the men in blue as they defeated Australia in the second T20I with 2 balls to spare.
The match got extremely close but a Hardik Pandya onslaught towards the finish helped India get over the line. Chasing a total of 196 every Indian batsman chipped in with the bat and played their role brilliantly. Shikhar Dhawan scored a well-compiled half-century which allowed Kohli to settle down and take his time.
Team India Wins The T20I Series Against Australia
Once the asking rate started climbing it was Kohli who took centre stage and played a quick-fire cameo of 40 runs in mere 24 balls. Towards the end, it was Hardik Pandya who showed his prowess in the death overs and struck 2 sixes in the last over to seal the match. Pandya remained unbeaten on 42 runs which he scored in 22 balls and along with Shreyas Iyer helped India get a 2-0 lead in the T20I series.
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The hosts were without their star bowlers whom they badly missed in the dying stages of the match. In the first half of the chase stand-in captain of Australia, Matthew Wade started off with a bang and scored a superb half-century. In the middle overs, the Indian bowlers executed their plans and didn’t allow Australia to set a total of beyond 200.
Virat Kohli Compliments Hardik Pandya
Meanwhile, T. Natarajan again shined and impressed everyone as he gave away just 20 runs and picked 2 wickets in his 4 overs. Here’s what the ecstatic winning captain Virat Kohli said in the post-match presentation.
“We played really well as a team in T20 cricket. The fact that two of our established players are not playing and to win like this, makes me very proud of this team. Everyone has played 14 games recently (in the IPL) and they know their plans. Natarajan was outstanding and Shardul was good today. Hardik finishing off the game and Shikhar getting that fifty, it’s a whole team effort. The reason for him (Hardik) to come into our team in 2016 was the pure ability, he now realizes that this is the time to establish in that (finishing) role and play match-winning knocks for us”.
He plays with all his heart and he certainly got that competitive nature about him and also has the skill to execute that at the highest level. That’s (next game) gonna be very exciting. In the tough moments, when so many people backing you, the next game is going to be exciting. It (scoop over fine leg) was a bit of funny moment, surprised myself there, I will send AB a text tonight and see what he thinks of it”, said Virat Kohli.
Also Read: Watch-Virat Kohli Does An AB De Villiers And Executes A Scoop Shot For 6
