Chasing 251 to win, Australia was in it going into the last over until new allrounder Vijay Shankar, a medium-pacer, trapped Marcus Stoinis on 52 with the first delivery, and bowled Adam Zampa on 2 with the third delivery.
“I was ready to bowl that over. Only if I do it will people know I can,” Shankar said after his first two wickets in his sixth ODI. “It was just about being mentally clear, not be crowded mentally.”
Australia was all out for 242 in 49.3 overs, and India led the five-match series 2-0. The third match is in Ranchi on Friday.
Virat Kohli was man of the match for his 40th hundred, nine less than Sachin Tendulkar’s ODI record. Kohoi’s 116 off 120 balls, including 10 boundaries, propped up India’s par total of 250 all out in the 49th over.
“It’s important to look ugly at times, and come through and win,” Kohli said. “We might get these low-scoring games in the World Cup as well.”
Pat Cummins got rid of Rohit Sharma in the first over, caught at third man for a six-ball duck, bringing Kohli to the crease.
The pitch was already showing a two-paced nature with shot-making not easy, and India lost wickets regularly.
Fast bowler Cummins took 4-29, and legspinner Adam Zampa, 2-62, pegged back India’s middle order.
Shikhar Dhawan and Ambati Rayudu were trapped, and India was 75-3 in the 17th over.
Shankar was promoted up the order and came up with a fluent 46 off 41 balls, hitting five fours and a six. He put on 81 runs with Kohli for the fifth wicket. The skipper reached his half-century off 55 balls.
Shankar was unlucky to be run out when Zampa deflected a straight drive off Kohli’s blade to the stumps. Zampa struck twice more to remove Kedar Jadhav on 11 and Mahendra Singh Dhoni, caught at slip for a first-ball duck, as India slipped to 171-6 in the 33rd over.
Kohli had to dig deep and combined for 67 with Ravindra Jadeja to take India past 200 in the 39th. In doing so, he reached 100 off 107 balls.
Cummins returned to break the stand, and took three wickets — including Kohli — in the final overs to restrict the hosts.
Australia’s chase began well for a change. Skipper Aaron Finch belied poor form and smacked five fours and a six in a 37, his highest score since November 2018.
He and Usman Khawaja opened with a combined 83, then both perished within two overs.
Australia struggled to string together partnerships thereafter. Shaun Marsh and Peter Handscomb carried them past 100 in the 19th over. But Marsh was caught behind off Jadeja just as he was looking set.
From 132-4, Handscomb added 39 runs with Stoinis, and they maneuvered the India spin attack intelligently. A direct hit from Jadeja changed the game as Handscomb was run out on 48 in the 38th over with 60 runs still needed.
Stoinis and Alex Carey added 47 runs and led Australia past 200. Kuldeep Yadav conceded 15 runs in the 43rd over but bowled Carey for 22 two overs later.
Jasprit Bumrah put the pressure back on Australia when he dismissed Nathan Coulter-Nile and Cummins cheaply in the space of three balls in the 46th, leaving the visitors’ hopes pinned on Stoinis.
Stoinis had been patient building his 52, but he was denied from being the match-winner when he swiped at Shankar and was hit plumb on the back leg.
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