Virat Kohli remained unbeaten on 61 runs off 41 balls as India successfully chased 165 with two balls and six wickets remaining in third T20I against hosts Australia at the Sydney Cricket Ground (SCG) to level the three-match ser𒅌ies 1-1.
After put in to bowl first, Krunal Pandya’s 4/36 helped India to restrict Australia at 164 for six.
While chasing the target, the tourists were off to a flier with openers🃏 Rohit Sharma and Shikhar Dhawan making mincemeat of the bowling attack. The duo ran amok as India༺ raced away to 67 in 33 balls.
Australia struck in the nick of time with returning pacer Mitchell Starc, playing his first T20I in two years, getting the wicket of Dhawan, whꦑo tonked six boundaries and two sixes in his 22-ball 41.
Spin was introduced in the next over with lꦑeg-spinner Adam Zampa into the attack. The move worked as Rohit failed to judge the quicker delivery and ended up edging it onto his pad and then the stumps. Rohit followed his partner adding 23 runs from just 16 balls, with one boundary and two hits over th💝e fence.
With two new batsmen at the crease – Kohli and🧔 KL Rahul – Australi🃏a managed to slowly creep into the game.
Rahul, who was looking good after sm♒ashing a huge six, once again failed to capitalise on the opportunity and departed after lobbing it down to Glenn Maxwell at long-on off Nathan Coulter-Nile.
Rishabh P🐻ant was out for a duck after he misjudged the slower one off Andrew Tye.
India were in a spot of bother at 108/4 when Pant departed and hoped they don’t fritter away the fine start by the openers.
Kohli too was taking time to settle down. However, once he got his eye in, and received good support f🐬rom Dinesh Karthik (22* off 18) at the other end, not even Tye nor Zampa could s♒top him in the run-chase.
Here’s how Twitter reacted:
Great game of cricket tonite. Good fight from Aust but Kohli is the besꦑt all round batsmen in world cricket and the most orthodox. All batsmen should take note of how he plays.
— Mark Waugh (@juniorwaugh349)
Wonderful innings from Kohli, great at finishing the job and a good win🅺💃 for India. Some of the batters though will be disappointed at not making use of the opportunities.
— Mohammad Kaif (@MohammadKaif)
//twitter.com/dizzy259/status/1066652215358582784
Aussie hopes of winning stymied by ’s brilliance. Taste of things to come in the Tests? But that’s in the future. For now, well played unde🔯r pressure to square the T20 series
— Cricketwallah (@cricketwallah)
Congratulations t🍬o for series leveling victory. 𒐪Impressive performances by , and the skipper 👏
— MANOJ TIWARY (@tiwarymanoj)
Superb innings from at the top and remains unbeatenꦬ in a run-chase, and when𓆉 that happens India invariably wins. Congratulations India on the win today
— VVS Laxman (@VVSLaxman281)
Run chases an𒐪d Virat Kohli: My favorite love story
— Madhav Sharma (@HashTagCricket)
Krunal Pandya 4/36 – best figures by an Indian bowler in T20I cricket in Australia
A𝔍lso best figures by a spinner on Australian soil in T20Is— Mohandas Menon (@mohanstatsman)
India go on to square the series in the final T20I and it's captain Virat Kohli once again to the rescue. Quite excited for the Test series which is going to be the real battle. 🇮🇳
— R P Singh रुद्र प्रताप सिंह (@rpsingh)
Well done and team india for winning the 3rd T20 against australia to level the series well done wit♛h the ball..
— Harbhajan Turbanator (@harbhajan_singh)
India has NEVER lost the last T20i of a three match bilateral series…
— Aakash Chopra (@cricketaakash)
King Kohli
Captain Kohli
King Kohli— bhaavna arora (@BhaavnaArora)
//🐼twitte🎃r.com/fwildecricket/status/1066652857024147456
Virat Kohli h🧜as remained Not Out 14 times when chasing in T20Is and India won the match every time.
— Bharath Seervi (@SeerviBharath)
Virat Kohli — batting at No.3 — the position he owns — wins it for India.
Kohli in chases in T20Is
Innings 27
Runs 1231
Average 82.06
50s 13
SR 135
Master of chasesA♊nd Dineshཧ Karthik has remained unbeaten on 9 occasions in T20Is — India have won all 9 games!
— Sarang Bhalerao (@bhaleraosarang)
Krunal Pandya – Man of the Match: 4-0-36-4
Shikhar Dhawan – Man of the series – scores of 76 and 41 in 2 games
— Cricbuzz (@cricbuzz)
Funny moments during the presentation 💎ceremony.
— betvisa68.com (@CricketTimesHQ)
