Rohit Sharma hits harder than rain: India level series vs Aussies in curtailed 2nd T20I

PTI

Nagpur, September 23

Rohit Sharma displayed his six-hitting prowess with an unbeaten 46 off 20 balls after Axar Patel snapped two wickets in a fiery spell as India notched up a series-levelling six-wicket win over Australia in the rain-hit second T20I here today.

I was quite surprised as well. I didn’t expect it to go quite as well as that. For the last 8-9 months I have been playing like that so it didn’t change much. But when you are playing a game like that you can’t plan too much. You just have to play the situation and use conditions to your advantage. I felt when we were bowling the bowlers had something to bowl to. We used the conditions well. Rohit Sharma, India skipper

The India skipper smashed four sixes and as many fours as he single-handedly helped India chase down a target of 91 with four balls to spare. The match was delayed by two-and-a-half hours because of a wet field and reduced to eight overs a side.

Earlier, Matthew Wade smacked an unbeaten 20-ball 43 to fire Australia to a 90/5. Wade hit four boundaries and three towering sixes — all in the final over off Harshal Patel (0/32) — while skipper Aaron Finch hit 31 off 15 after Rohit invited Australia to bat.

Chasing the target, Rohit made his intention clear as he unleashed three monstrous sixes off Josh Hazlewood in the opening over.

Even as wickets fell around him — KL Rahul (10), Virat Kohli (11) and Suryakumar Yadav (0) all fell to leg-spinbner Adam Zampa (3/16 in 2 overs) — an unfazed Rohit continued to go after the bowlers.

Earlier, Axar (2/13 in 2 overs) denied Australia a good start with two quick wickets. The left-arm spinner dismissed the dangerous Glenn Maxwell and Tim David after the run out of last match’s hero Cameron Green, leaving the visitors at 31/3.

Jasprit Bumrah (1/23 in 2 overs), who has been out of action since the end of the England tour due to back injury, produced a sensational yorker to get rid of the dangerous Finch. However, Wade ensured the visitors ended things in a flourish as he along with Steve Smith (8) added 44 runs in the final 18 balls. The two teams will now move to Hyderabad for the series-deciding third T20I on Sunday.

Brief scores: Australia: 90/5 in 8 overs (Wade 43*, Finch 31; Axar 2/13); India: 92/4 in 7.2 overs (Rohit 46*; Zampa 3/16).

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All square. See you in Hyderabad. 🇮🇳👊

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- Virat Kohli (@virat.kohli) 23 Sep 2022

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