Hardik Pandya’s Late Blitz Guides India to Six-Wicket Win in Sydney Thriller

On December 6, 2020, during the second T20I of the series against Australia, Pandya showcased his brilliance once again. With both bat and ball, he played a crucial role, but it was his calm and powerful hitting in the chase that stood out. Guiding India to a thrilling win, he sealed the series in style. This match remains a perfect example of his finishing ability.

India vs Australia: 2nd T20

The second match of the India tour of Australia, played on December 6, 2020, at the Sydney Cricket Ground, was a proper T20 spectacle. Australia batted first after India won the toss and chose to bowl, and they put together a cracking 194/5 in their 20 overs. The Aussie innings was a rollercoaster as Wade went berserk at the start, Smith played it cool in the middle, and the lower order gave it a proper whack to set India a tough target of 195.

Right from the word go, Matthew Wade, stepping up as captain, was like a man possessed. He smashed 58 runs off just 32 balls, cracking 10 fours and a six, with a strike rate of 181.25. Wade was seeing the ball like a beach ball, hammering India’s bowlers all over the park. His fifty came off just 25 balls, full of gorgeous cover drives and meaty pulls that had the Sydney crowd roaring. Australia stormed to 59 runs in the powerplay, losing just one wicket. D’Arcy Short, Wade’s opening partner, chipped in with 9 runs off 9 balls, hitting one four before T Natarajan got him caught by Shreyas Iyer in the fifth over, leaving Australia at 47/1.

Wade kept swinging until the eighth over when Virat Kohli and KL Rahul pulled off a stunning run-out to send him back. That brought Steven Smith to the crease, and he played like the class act he is, scoring 46 runs off 38 balls with three fours and two sixes, at a strike rate of 121.05. Smith wasn’t as wild as Wade but kept the scoreboard ticking, finding gaps with ease and smacking the odd big shot. He linked up with Glenn Maxwell, who went full T20 mode, blasting 22 off 13 balls with two huge sixes. Their partnership pushed Australia past 100 in the 11th over, keeping the run rate flying. Maxwell’s fun ended in the 13th over when Shardul Thakur had him caught by Washington Sundar, making it 120/3.

Moises Henriques came in and played a gem, scoring 26 off 18 balls with a six, keeping the momentum going. He and Smith got Australia to 150 by the 16th over, setting things up nicely. Smith got out in the 18th over, caught by Hardik Pandya off Yuzvendra Chahal, and Henriques followed in the 19th, caught by KL Rahul off Natarajan. The late fireworks came from Marcus Stoinis, who stayed not out on 16 off 7 balls with a six, and Daniel Sams, who smashed 8 not out off 3 balls, including a four. Australia also got 9 extra runs with 8 wides and a leg bye, which added some handy padding to their total.

India’s bowlers had a mixed day. T Natarajan was the hero, bowling 4 overs for just 20 runs and grabbing two wickets (Short and Henriques). His yorkers were on point, making life tough for the Aussies, especially in the death overs. Yuzvendra Chahal got Smith’s big wicket but got hammered, giving away 51 runs in his four overs as Maxwell took him apart. Shardul Thakur nabbed Maxwell but leaked 39 runs, while Deepak Chahar had a nightmare, conceding 48 runs without a wicket. Washington Sundar also didn’t get a wicket, giving up 35 runs. India’s fielding was top-notch, with Wade’s run-out stealing the show, but they couldn’t stop Australia from putting up a big score.

Australia’s innings had it all: a blazing start, a solid middle, and a fiery finish. They hit 50 runs in 5.1 overs, 100 in 10.6 overs, and 150 in 15.5 overs, ending with a run rate of 9.70. Wade’s early onslaught, Smith’s steady hand, and the late hits from Stoinis and Sams made sure Australia set a target that was going to test India’s batting might on a belter of a Sydney pitch. Chasing 195, India pulled off a nail-biter, reaching 195/4 in 19.4 overs to win by 6 wickets with just 2 balls left. This heart-pounding victory gave them a 2-0 lead in the three-match T20I series. It was all thanks to Shikhar Dhawan’s early fireworks, Virat Kohli’s calm head, and Hardik Pandya’s absolute clutch performance, with Shreyas Iyer playing a cheeky little role at the end.

India came out guns blazing, with KL Rahul and Shikhar Dhawan tearing into Australia’s bowlers. They put on 56 runs in just 5.2 overs, with the powerplay yielding 60 runs for one wicket. Rahul was in a hurry, smashing 30 off 22 balls with two fours and a six, before Andrew Tye got him caught by Mitchell Swepson. Dhawan, though, was the real deal, playing a cracking 52 off 36 balls with four fours and two sixes, at a strike rate of 144.44. He took on Adam Zampa like it was nothing, launching a couple of sixes and racing to a 34-ball fifty. Dhawan’s party ended in the 12th over when Zampa had him caught by Swepson, leaving India at 95/2.

Virat Kohli walked in and did what he does best, scoring a classy 40 off 24 balls with two fours and two sixes, at a strike rate of 166.66. His silky drives and clever lofts kept India cruising, pushing them past 100 in the 12th over. Kohli teamed up with Sanju Samson, who played a quick 15 off 10 balls with a four and a six, before getting caught by Steven Smith off Swepson in the 14th over. Kohli looked like he’d take India all the way but got out in the 16th over, caught by Matthew Wade off Daniel Sams, with India at 149/4, needing 46 runs off the last 23 balls.

That’s when Hardik Pandya turned into a superhero. He played an unreal, unbeaten knock of 42 off 22 balls, smashing three fours and two sixes at a strike rate of 190.90. Pandya was cool as ice, especially in the 19th over against Andrew Tye, where he crunched two fours to keep India in the fight. With 14 runs needed off the last over from Daniel Sams, Pandya went massive, blasting two huge sixes, including a game-sealing slog over deep midwicket on the fourth ball. Shreyas Iyer played a cracking cameo, scoring 12 not out off 5 balls with a four and a six, cheering Pandya on as they crossed the finish line.

Australia’s bowlers were all over the place. Daniel Sams (3.4 overs, 41 runs, 1 wicket) and Andrew Tye (4 overs, 47 runs, 1 wicket) got tonked, especially in the end. Adam Zampa and Mitchell Swepson each grabbed a wicket but couldn’t stop the runs, while Glenn Maxwell and Moises Henriques barely got a look-in with the ball. Australia’s fielding was alright, but a missed direct hit and a failed lbw review against Pandya cost them big time.

India’s chase was pure drama, hitting 50 runs in 4.5 overs, 100 in 11.5 overs, and 150 in 16.2 overs, with a run rate of 9.91. Dhawan’s early blitz, Kohli’s smooth sailing, and Pandya’s epic finish, with Iyer’s little spark, made it a chase for the ages. Pandya’s heroics got him the Player of the Match award, and India celebrated a win that had everyone on the edge of their seats.