Rohit Sharma and Axar Patel help India level T20 series against Australia

Hosts prevail by six wickets in rain-curtailed match in Nagpur

Australia's captain Aaron Finch congratulates India's skipper Rohit Sharma after the second T20 at the Vidarbha Cricket Association Stadium in Nagpur on Friday, September 23, 2022. AFP

Rohit Sharma and Dinesh Karthik guided India to victory in the second T20 in Nagpur. AFP

Dinesh Karthik hit a six and a four to seal victory. AFP

Rohit Sharma scored an unbeaten 46. AP

India's Virat Kohli is bowled by Adam Zampa. AFP

Adam Zampa celebrates the wicket of Suryakumar Yadav. Getty

Matthew Wade hit a quick 43. Getty

India's Jasprit Bumrah, right, and teammates celebrate the dismissal of Australia's captain Aaron Finch. AP

Aaron Finch is bowled by Jasprit Bumrah. Getty

India's Axar Patel celebrates the dismissal of Australia's Glenn Maxwell. AP

Captain Rohit Sharma's blazing knock lifted India to a six-wicket victory over Australia in an enthralling shortened second T20 in Nagpur on Friday to level the three-match series at 1-1.

Chasing 91 after the match was reduced to eight overs a side due to a wet outfield, Rohit finished with a 20-ball unbeaten 46 while Dinesh Karthik scored the winning runs with four balls to spare after Axar Patel (2-13) did the damage earlier.

India were cruising at 51-1 at the halfway stage, with Adam Zampa briefly halting their momentum by taking out opener KL Rahul (10) and threatened to derail their chase after dismissing Virat Kohli (11) and Suryakumar Yadav (0) in successive balls.

The hosts remained in control, however, despite Zampa's outstanding 3-16 spell, thanks to captain Rohit leading the charge before Karthik hit a four and a six off the only two balls he faced to wrap up the victory against the world champions.

"I didn't expect it to go quite as well as that," Rohit, who hit four fours and as many sixes, said after collecting the player of the match award.

"Glad [Karthik] could finish well. It's been a while since he had some time in the middle," Sharma added.

Overnight rain had rendered the outfield waterlogged and although the weather had been clear on Friday, the start of play was postponed by two-and-a-half hours after several pitch inspections.

India elected to bowl first and reduced Australia to 31-3 in 3.1 overs after Cameron Green was run out and Glenn Maxwell fell for a golden duck to Axar, who bowled Tim David in his next over.

Jasprit Bumrah, playing his first match in over two months, marked his return with a searing yorker to dismiss Aaron Finch (31) before Matthew Wade's unbeaten 43 off 20 carried Australia to 90-5 as Harshal Patel conceded 19 runs in the final over.

"Rohit was brilliant, and the two overs Axar bowled was probably the difference in the game," Australia captain Finch said. "Wade is such a calm customer at the back of the innings. He did a wonderful job. We came close."

Australia clinched a four-wicket victory in the series opener in Mohali on Tuesday after chasing down 208 runs with four balls to spare.

Australia and current top-ranked side India will meet in Hyderabad on Sunday for the series decider.