New Delhi:
Virat Kohli led from the front with a magnificent 61* as India secured a tense six-wicket win in Sydney to level the three-match series against Australia 1-1. Kohli shared a partnership with Dinesh Karthik as the du helped India cross the line. Earlier, Shikhar Dhawan and Rohit Sharma gave India a great start as they raced away in the powerplay. India were boosted by the efforts of Krunal Pandya who took 4/36 to help Indai restrict Australia to 164/6. India have now extended their unbeaten run in Twenty20 International bilateral series wins and this will give them immense confidence heading into the Test series. (SCORECARD)
With two boundaries, Virat Kohli finishes off the Sydney T20I in style as India beat Australia by six wickets to level the series. Their unbeaten run in T20Is continue. What a legend this man Kohli is. Simply sublime and unstoppable.
Another great over for India as Karthik slices a pacy delivery from Mitchell Starc to the deep backward point boundary and India need five off six balls. So, their unbeaten run is set to continue.
Virat Kohli, what a legend! Slams his 19th fifty and Dinesh Karthik swings the advantage back to India with a huge six off Andrew Tye. India need 16 runs off 12 balls
Kohli nears a fifty as he clobbers Maxwell over deep midwicket by dancing down the wicket. The security guard positioned outside the boundary takes a superb catch
Virat Kohli, you beauty. A sliced four to deep backward point and a glorious inside-out six over wide long off has tilted the balance in India's favour. Champion!
Only one run in Andrew Tye's over. India need 56 off 36 balls. The game has totally changed and one can thank Zampa for this. His spell has once again changed the course of the match
WICKETS! Australia are right back in the game now. Glenn Maxwell builds the pressure and KL Rahul miscues the lofted shot to be caught at long off for 14. Next ball, Rishabh Pant gloves a slow, short ball to the keeper. All hopes on Virat Kohli now.
Kohli and Rahul have steadied the ship but Australia's bowlers, in particular, Adam Zampa, have really pulled things back in the middle overs. The asking rate is close to eight runs an over. Even Maxwell is doing a decent job but they need wickets.
Kohli ends the over in grand style by crunching a square cut off Zampa to the deep backward point. The Indian skipper ensures that the advantage is with India.
KL Rahul breaks the shackles by pulling Nathan Coulter-Nile for a six over deep midwicket. The timing was not spot on but it was just enough to take it over the ropes.
WICKET! Fantastic stuff from Adam Zampa. Quicker ball and it skids through, Rohit hangs back and is beaten for pace as the ball crashes into the stumps. Rohit Sharma b Zampa 23 (16).
WICKET! Superb ball from Starc. Full ball and holding its line on middle and leg stump, it zips off the deck as Dhawan looks to defend, big LBW appeal but it is not given, Australia take the review and replays show it is pad first and the ball is hitting leg stump. Ends a blazing knock from Dhawan. Shikhar Dhawan LBW Starc 41 (22).
6,1,wd,6,4,4. Carnage in the fifth over as Marcus Stoinis leaks 22 runs and India are on the charge. Dhawan now has the most runs in a calendar year by any player in Twenty20 Internationals, overtaking Suzie Bates' record of 670 runs.
Six by Rohit Sharma, six by Shikhar Dhawan and a blazing four in the last ball as Nathan Coulter-Nile suffers. 20 runs in the fourth over and India race to 40/0 in four overs
SIX! First of the game, can you believe it? Rohit pounces on a short ball from Coulter-Nile and deposits it into the stands at deep backward square leg. Trust Rohit to break the rut.
Superb batting from Dhawan. Starc pitches it really full and the left-hander simply drills it past extra cover for a blazing boundary.
Superb boundaries from Rohit and Dhawan. The left-hander in particular, walks to the off side and flicks a full ball to the long leg fence. India are 12/0 after two overs.
Mitchell Starc is into the attack and Rohit Sharma somehow digs out a toe-crunching yorker. India reach 3/0 in the first over.
15 runs in the final over bowled by Bumrah. Nathan Coulter-Nile once again chips in with a cameo while Stoinis once again gets Australia over the line. 164/6 after 20 overs and this is a challenging score but India will back themselves to chase this total down.
Two boundaries in the 19th over off Bhuvneshwar Kumar by Nathan Coulter-Nile and Australia will get past 150. How much can they get in the final over?
Superb athleticism from Bumrah. Lynn and Stoinis had a confusion and Bumrah ran to the off side, he turns around and does not balance himself well as he fires the throw but it still scores a direct hit at the bowler's end.
Run-out! Lynn is gone and Australia stumble further. Plenty of hesitation in the running and the direct hit catches Lynn short. Sydney will see no Lynnsanity today
Australia are not getting the momentum towards the end overs. They need a big knock from Lynn as India look to tighten the screws.
WICKET! Another one falls to the sweep and Krunal gets his fourth wicket. Alex Carey mistimes the slog sweep and holes out to deep midwicket. Carey c Kohli b Krunal 27
Krunal concedes a boundary but Australia have made an interesting move with Chris Lynn coming into bat now. With the death overs coming and with pacers in operation, not a bad time for the Australian batsman to unwind
WICKET! Krunal Pandya is on a roll. Maxwell mistimes the pull shot and holes out to long on. Third wicket for the left-armer and India tighten the grip
The runs are not coming as quickly as they can. Kuldeep finishes his spell and has outstanding figures of 4-0-19-1. Australia need Maxwell to fire.
Australia now have a big task of rebuilding. Kuldeep Yadav is in good touch and is not giving anything away. Can the hosts attack Krunal Pandya?
No hat-trick for Krunal Pandya but Australia are sweeping away to oblivion here. Poor stuff from the hosts and they have a big task in hand.
WICKET! So what if Kuldeep cannot get Maxwell? Krunal responds by getting rid of D'Arcy Short. Flatter ball that straightens, Short misses the sweep and even the review cannot save him. Australia are suddenly 73/2 in the 10th over.
Kuldeep has another, or has he? Maxwell looks to work it to the leg side and is adjudged LBW. On review, the ball is missing leg stump. Superb review from the Big Show.
WICKET! Finally, India break through. Kuldeep is the bowler. Flighted delivery on leg stump, Finch mistimes the slog sweep and is caught by Krunal at backward square leg. Finch c Krunal b Kuldeep 28 (23)
India's fielding goes from bad to worse. After Rohit drops Finch, Bumrah misfields a cut from Short and Krunal concedes a boundary. 12 runs in his first over and Virat Kohli must be fuming.
Kuldeep Yadav is into the attack and he gives away just three runs. A misfield by KL Rahul does not help and India's fielding continues to dip. Aaron Finch miscues a lofted shot off Krunal Pandya but Rohit drops it. That should have been taken.
Australia end the powerplay in style as Short dispatches a full toss from Bumrah past cover point for a blazing boundary. After six overs, Australia are 49/0
An expensive over from Khaleel and Australia are making a move on. 13 runs come in the fifth over and the hosts have moved to 41/0 in five overs. They really need to end the powerplay well here.
Bumrah concedes a boundary first ball as Short steers a short delivery to the third man fence but the bowler recovers and only seven runs are scored in the fourth over. This is a decent start for Australia in the powerplay but they will have to reckon with the spinners after this. After four overs, Australia are 28/0
Short comes up with a blazing straight drive over the umpire's head for a boundary. However, Bhuvneshwar Kumar comes back in style to restrict them to just five runs in the over.
Khaleel Ahmed opens the bowling from the other end like in Melbourne but Aaron Finch gets going with a boundary to the deep midwicket fence. The Australian skipper gets a couple of runs as Australia get eight runs in the second over as well.
Good first over from Bhuvneshwar. He gets some swing in to the right-hander but D'Arcy Short gets going with a crunched drive through extra cover. Australia are 8/0 after the first over.
Right, we are all set to begin. D'Arcy Short and Aaron Finch are opening the batting. Both players are not in great form and they will be hoping to get the team off to a good start.
India are unchanged from the previous game and here are the sides for this important encounter at the SCG
Playing XIs
India: Rohit Sharma, Shikhar Dhawan, Lokesh Rahul, Virat Kohli(c), Rishabh Pant(w), Dinesh Karthik, Krunal Pandya, Bhuvneshwar Kumar, Kuldeep Yadav, K Khaleel Ahmed, Jasprit Bumrah
Australia: D Arcy Short, Aaron Finch(c), Chris Lynn, Glenn Maxwell, Marcus Stoinis, Ben McDermott, Alex Carey(w), Nathan Coulter-Nile, Mitchell Starc, Andrew Tye, Adam Zampa
Australia opt to bat against India in the final T20I in Sydney. Mitchell Starc replaces Jason Behrendorff in the side. This is the first time Starc is playing a T20I at home since 2014 and his first match in this format since 2016.
First visuals from Sydney. Good news is that it is clear skies. The pitch is hard but will assist spinners. Expect a good amount of runs scored in this game.
A warm welcome to the third and final T20I between Australia and West Indies from the Sydney Cricket Ground. Can Virat Kohli's India avoid the rain jinx and secure a win to level the series or will Australia achieve a rare moment of joy in a troubled 2018?
