Australia needed 11 runs off the last over with two wickets left, and lost to India by eight runs in the second one-day cricket international on Tuesday.
Chasing 251 to win, Australia was in it going into the last over until new all-rounder 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. Kohli’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.”
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.
Virat Kohli has equaled Sachin Tendulkar’s record of most tons in a winning cause in ODI cricket. The current Indian skipper has hit 40 tons in one-day internationals out of which 33 have come in a winning cause. Former Indian skipper Sachin Tendulkar, who scored 49 centuries in ODIs, also has 33 such tons under his belt.