All-rounder Vijay Shankar became the surprising hero for India as the hosts defeated Australia by eight runs at Vidarbh🍃a Cricket Association Stad☂ium in Nagpur on Tuesday.
With 11 runs needed from the final over and Marcus Stoinis in top form, Shankar kept his calm and with two wickets in three balls, he was a✱ble to clinch the match for the Men in Blue.
The two frontline seamers – Jasprit Bumrah and Mohammed Shami – were both done with their quota of ten overs and although Kedar Jadhav had two overs left, Kohli handed the ball to Shankar and he did not disappoint.
On the first ball of the over, Shankar trapped Stoinis in front of the wickets (LBW) for 52 and then followed it up with the wicket of Adam Zampa on the third ball ไof the over as he castled the tail-ender for a duck.
Earlier in the day, Virat Kohli waged a lone battle to haul India to 250. The Indian captain was classy – he ran hard and pierced the gap for nine sweetly timed boundaries. Kohli did not hit a single six in his innings and the only aerial shot resulted in his dismissal in the 48th over. India could add only two more runs to the total but Kohli had ensured his bowlers had enough to defend.
Kohli also became the fastest to 9000 international r💟uns as a captain.
Here’s how Twitter reacted:
👏👏👏
— BCCI (@BCCI)
The boys ༺are on a roll! What a way to win 500th ODI. Congratulations for bringing another win home and making it 2-0.
— Suresh Raina🇮🇳 (@ImRaina)
Brilliant century from Virat , outstanding death over bo💙wling from Bumrah and Vijay Shankar holding his nerves really well in the end. Bahut badhiya jeet.
— Virender Sehwag (@virendersehwag)
Another win 💮🇮🇳👏👏👏 top bowling performance by all the bowlers 👏👏👏😊 great te🗹am effort 🇮🇳2-0
— Rahul Sharma (@ImRahulSharma3)
Outstanding innings from Virat but really impressed by how Vijay Shankar soaked the pressure in the last over . Jasprit Bumrah's final 2 overs for just 2 runs was a great exhibition of death over bowling. Congratulations Team India on a fabulous win
— VVS Laxman (@VVSLaxman281)
Solid performance from the boys, especially from Captian Marvel. 💯
Let's make it a clean sweep!! 🇮🇳— Robbie Uthappa (@robbieuthappa)
Marvellous vꦓictory. Jasprit Bumrah take a bow, just 2 runs in his last 2 overs, outstanding stuff and this is a great win. Feel very happy for Vijay Shankar, he has got a good head on his shoulder
— Mohammad Kaif (@MohammadKaif)
Great bowling effort! Hats off to ꧅ and who won it for India without♛ any doubt! 🇮🇳
— R P Singh रुद्र प्रताप सिंह (@rpsingh)
Vijay Shankar ki tickౠet f💖or World Cup is confirmed
— Harbhajan Turbanator (@harbhajan_singh)
Well bowled vijay shankar and great leadership by Virat. A nailbiter finish for the crowd and great result for team Ind𓆉ia
— Irfan Pathan (@IrfanPathan)
All Vijay S✃hankar has to do now is av💃oid invites for Koffee with Karan.
— Abijit Ganguly (@AbijitG)
No more Doubting Thomases for Vijay Shankar now
— Vikrant Gupta (@vikrantgupta73)
Vijay Shankar guides India to an 8-run win in Nagpur 🙂
SCORECARD:— betvisa68.com (@CricketTimesHQ)
The ground Shankar is ꦅcovering with the bat is getting lost with the ball. Soon, India will have to start considering him as a genuine batsman. Won’t give you 3 in a T20 or 6 in an ODI.
— Aakash Chopra (@cricketaakash)
Vijay Shanker 👏🏻👏🏻👏🏻👏🌜🏻👏🏻👏🏻👏🏻👏🏻👏🏻👏🏻👏🏻👏🏻👏🏻👏🏻🇮🇳🇦�🧸�🏏
— Michael Clarke (@MClarke23)
Tough loss for 🇦🇺 but a b🌠rilliant win from 🇮🇳 🏏
— Michael Clarke (@MClarke23)
So Virat Kohli reveals that he wanted Vijay Shankar t🍎o bowl 46th over but Rohit & Dhoni i♊nsisted to let Bumrah & Shani bowl in tandem for next 4 overs as they can get wickets & peg Australia back. And if situation arises, Shankar would bowl 50th one.
— Navneet Mundhra (@navneet_mundhra)
Undortunate end to Vijay Shankar’s innings. But he’s been ve෴ry impressive today, which wouldn’t have been lost on his partner and captain
— Cricketwallah (@cricketwallah)
Vijay Shankar has been very impressive since the NZ series.✔️all the boxes to bat in the middle order for me.
bat when team under preasure,rotate strike vs spin/pace,can change gears. With his bowling can be an asset but need to remember, he's a batsman who can bowl— Deep Dasgupta (@DeepDasgupta7)
Late starter in ODI cricket, Vijay Shankar making a stro♋ng surge for a place in the World Cup squad
— Cricketwallah (@cricketwallah)
