Images from the second T20 International between Australia and India, at the Sydney Cricket Ground, on Sunday.
Hardik Pandya's late cameo and half-century from opener Shikhar Dhawan helped India outclass Australia by six wickets in a high-scoring thriller in the second T20 International to seal the T20 series 2-0, in Sydney, on Sunday.
Pandya blasted 42 not out from 22 balls, including two sixes off the final over bowled by Daniel Sams, to power India to victory in smashing fashion as they chased down a huge target of 195 with two balls to spare.
This was India's 10th successive win away from home in T20 Internationals.
Needing 25 of the final 12 balls, Pandya brought the equation down to 14 in the last over with two fours. The all-rounder then hit two sixes in the final over bowled by Daniel Sams to seal the match in India's favour and was rightly named the man of the match.
India were off to a sedate start with no boundaries coming in the first two overs. But once Dhawan (52) and KL Rahul (30) got their eye in, they made up for it with some regular boundaries.
Rahul capitalised on a free hit by smashing Andrew Tye for a maximum over extra cover, India's first boundary of the innings.
Dhawan got himself a couple of boundaries and a six off Glenn Maxwell as India scored 34 runs in two overs to gain the momentum they were looking for.
The seasoned Dhawan, despite coming down the wicket early, managed to pull Sean Abbott over midwicket for another six.
Australia got their first breakthrough when Rahul gave a simple catch to Mitchell Swepson at deep point.
India had still managed a strong start, reaching 60 for one at the end of the six overs of Powerplay.
Having played some fine shots, Dhawan top-edged an attempted slog sweep off leg-spinner Adam Zampa to give Australia their second wicket.
Sanju Samson got out after a 10-ball 15 but it was debutant Sams, who gave the hosts their biggest breakthrough when he had Virat Kohli caught behind for a well-made 24-ball 40 before Pandya's late fireworks took the visitors to victory, with two balls to spare.
Earlier, stand-in skipper Matthew Wade smashed a blistering half-century to power Australia to 194 for five against India in the second T20 International, in Sydney, on Sunday.
Leading the side in the absence of an injured Aaron Finch, Wade smashed 58 off 32 balls while Steve Smith stroked a breezy 38-ball 46 after India opted to field.
For the visitors, Thangarasu Natarajan once again impressed with the ball with excellent figures of 2/20 in his four-over spell but Australia went on the ramapage at the end, to smash 62 runs from the last five overs.
Wade started the Australian innings on a rousing note, launching into a flurry of boundaries and a six against an Indian attack that lacked in experience with the exception of Yuzvendra Chahal.
Wade collected 13 runs off the first over, pulling, driving and paddle sweeping Deepak Chahar for three fours.
Bowling the second over, off-spinner Washington Sundar was hoicked over deep square leg for a six as the hosts made a quickfire start.
Sundar conceded 15 runs in the fourth over and then Wade scored 12 off Shardul Thakur as the hosts raced past 50 in the sixth over.
However, the introduction of Natarajan into the attack saw Australia losing their first wicket in the form of D'Arcy Short.
Least perturbed by the dismissal, Wade continued to bat aggressively and raced past his fifty off just 25 balls with a boundary off Chahal.
But the stand-in skipper got out in a comical fashion, run out after Virat Kohli dropped another absolute sitter at cover, his second in two days.
As the ball headed towards Kohli, Wade gave up, walked towards the dressing room and even though he was alerted by Steve Smith of the drop, he had backed up too far by that time.
India's catching was once again below standards as Hardik Pandya also dropped Wade.
The duo of Smith and Glenn Maxwell (22 from 13 balls) kept dealing in fours and sixes as Australia exploded in the final few overs.
Even as Smith played some innovative shots, Maxwell, in his characteristic fashion, smashed Chahal for two sixes before falling to Shardul Thakur's change of pace.
Moises Henriques (26 from 18 balls) joined Smith and the two carried on in the same vein before falling to Chahal and Natarajan respectively.
