Jos Buttler’s unbeaten 77 led England to a six-wicket victory over Australia in the second T20I at Southampton on Sunday.
With a goal of 158 to win, Buttler remained undefeated with 77 of 54 balls, which included eight limits and two sixes, as England reached the goal with seven balls to spare to take an impregnable 2-0 lead in the series.
England lost starter Jonny Bairstow early when he hit his own stumps trying to pull off Mitchell Starc, but Buttler and Dawid Malan (42) kept the score going with an 87-run stoppage before spinner Ashton Agar caught Malan on the lo deep.
Tom Banton and Eoin Morgan fell cheaply, but the all-rounder Moeen Ali came in and eased the pressure with a six and a four on the penultimate change to change the equation before Buttler broke the winning runs with a six down.
Australia held to 157-7 after Jofra Archer and Mark Wood hit in their first overs to eliminate David Warner by a duck and Alex Carey (2) respectively, while Steve Smith was left without 10 on a direct hit from Morgan. .
Aaron Finch (40) and Marcus Stoinis (35) joined a 49-run partnership, while Glenn Maxwell scored 26 of 18 balls to give Australia a respectable total to defend.
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