Adelaide: Virat Kohli scored his 39th hundred and MS Dhoni impressed with an unbeaten half-century as India beat Australia by six wickets in the second One Day International of three-match series, in Adelaide on Monday. The current and former India captains shared an 82-run stand for the fourth-wicket to keep India on the winning course despite chasing a tough 299-run target. With the thrilling last-over win, India levelled the ODI series 1-1, having lost the opening match in Sydney by 34 runs. The decider of the series will be played in Melbourne on Friday.
Virat Kohli top-scored for India with 104 runs, while Dhoni contributed an unbeaten 55 not out to lead India’s chase. Dinesh Karthik played a brilliant cameo towards the end of the Indian innings and was unbeaten on 25 as India reached the target with four balls to spare.
Dhoni pulled off a tight finish for India just like old times to silence his critics after captain Kohli laid the foundation for a win at the Adelaide Oval.
Chase master Kohli could not take his team to the finishing line this time but Dhoni (55 off 54) and Dinesh Karthik (25 off 14) rose to the occasion with an unbeaten 57-run stand off 34 balls, taking India home with four balls to spare.
Man of the match Kohli was dismissed in the 44th over after making 104 off 112 balls with five fours and two sixes.
Earlier, Shaun Marsh scored his seventh ODI hundred to take Australia to a challenging total. Marsh arrived at the crease at 26/2 and scored 131 runs and added 94 runs off 65 balls with Glenn Maxwell (48 off 37 balls).
The hosts were unchanged from the previous game, while India brought in debutant Mohammed Siraj in place of Khaleel Ahmed.
Bhuvneshwar Kumar (4/45) and Mohammed Shami (3/58) exerted themselves on proceedings with the new ball, and didn’t let the Australian openers get away quickly.
