Virat Kohli made a sublime 104-run knock as India defeated Australia by six wickets in the second One-day International (ODI) to level the three-match series 1-1.
Adelaide
India won 2nd ODI against Australia by 6 wickets. Australia have set a victory target of 299 runs for India in the second One-Day International at Adelaide.
Chasing a target of 299, India got off to a solid start with openers Shikhar Dhawan (32) and Rohit Sharma (43) contributing 47 runs for the first wicket. Rohit, then recorded a crucial 54-run partnership with Kohli, keeping India’s run-chase on course.
After the departure of Rohit, Kohli then strung a 59-run partnership with Ambati Rayudu for the third wicket. Rayudu was looking in good touch but got out for 24 after playing a poor shot against part-timer Glenn Maxwell. But Kohli held the Indian run-chase together from one end. He along with MS Dhoni added 82 runs for the fourth wicket, taking India closer to the target. Towards the end, Dhoni (55 not out) along with Dinesh Karthik (25 not out) took India across the line with four balls to spare. The Australian bowlers had a poor outing as none of them were able to make any real impact. Jason Behrendorff, Jhye Richardson, Marcus Stoinis and Glenn Maxwell managed a wicket apiece.
Opting to bat, the hosts had got off to a poor start as they lost their openers early. Shaun Marsh, who had scored a half-century in the first ODI, amassed his 7th ODI ton today to revive the Aussie innings and power them to a formidable total. Marsh made 131, while Glenn Maxwell scored 48 as the home team made 298 for 9 in the stipulated 50 overs.
Bhuvneshwar Kumar scalped 4 wickets, while his fellow pacer Mohammed Shami bagged 3.
India were 126 for 2 in 23.5 overs, when reports last came in.
Australia is currently leading the three-match series, 1-nil. It had won the first ODI at Sydney by 34 runs.
The third and final match will be played at Melbourne on Friday.
A last over thriller in Adelaide. #TeamIndia clinch the 2nd ODI by 6 wickets courtesy winning touches from @imVkohli @msdhoni & @DineshKarthik. 1-1 🇮🇳🇮🇳 #AUSvIND pic.twitter.com/aMI0q5Bhaj
— BCCI (@BCCI) January 15, 2019
India captain Virat Kohli and the Player of the Match said : “We wanted to try and restrict them in the end. I thought they were going to get away from us when Maxy and Shaun were in. Getting them in two balls was brilliant. I thought 298 was par on that wicket, with the start they had. Bhuvi was outstanding to pull things back for us. Vijay Shankar is in the squad, he’s an allrounder, so that gives us an option to play around with – but we’ll see how we go. But backing five bowlers and seeing it come off is pleasing as a captain. You look for little moments to pump you up, get into the zone, and that’s what I was trying to do. I tried to stay as aware as possible in recognising the moment to strike. I thought those 2-3 overs were the moment, to bring the gap between runs and balls down. When it comes off it looks good. It was a really tough day. My pants are white with the sweat, the salts coming out. MS was tired as well, fielding for 50 overs and batting as well, it was tough. So a good day to rest and travel and recover and regroup for the MCG. Tonight was an MS classic. He takes the game until the end, when only he knows what’s going on in his mind, and he backs himself to hit those big shots at the end. And hats off to Dinesh too, he came in and took the pressure off him.”
Australian captain Aaron Finch: “When you come up like a batting side against India, you know you have to get wickets regularly, and we ran into that man Dhoni as well. Credit to India, they played well. We played well as well, it was a good game of cricket. What we’ve been working towards is some real solid performances through the middle overs. I’m responsible for the Powerplays, and I’ve not been coming off. It’s a matter of time, I think. It’s not easy when you’re not getting runs, but captaincy is separate from personal performance, and you have to be consistent with your actions. Shaun Marsh’s was a hell of an innings. He was pretty cooked by the end of it. To get 138 in brutal conditions this afternoon, with that heat, and for us to get 298, was pleasing, but in the end they managed to get past that. I think it would have been nice to have Jhye bowl right at the end. He’s been our best bowler, and we tried to use him earlier to try and take wickets.”