NEW DELHI: Abhishek Sharma rescued India from a top-order collapse, with Harshit Rana providing crucial support, as the visitors managed 125 in the second T20I against Australia at the iconic Melbourne Cricket Ground on Friday. Abhishek, the world’s top-ranked T20I batter, played a superb knock of 68 off 37 balls, while Harshit stood firm at the other end with a gritty 35 from 33 deliveries. The pair added 56 runs for the sixth wicket — the only meaningful partnership in India’s innings — and were the only two batters to reach double digits.Facing criticism once again for being picked ahead of Arshdeep Singh, Harshit silenced doubters with a composed innings that featured three fours and a towering six. His massive 104-metre hit drew a stunned reaction from the Indian dugout, including head coach Gautam Gambhir, whose astonishment was captured on camera.WATCH the video hereAustralia, chasing 126, cruised to a four-wicket victory to take a 1-0 lead in the five-match series after the opener in Canberra was washed out. Captain Mitchell Marsh led the way with a quickfire 46 off 26 balls, while Travis Head contributed 28 at the top to give the hosts early momentum. Their attacking stand ensured Australia remained in control throughout the chase, reaching the target with 40 balls to spare despite a few late wickets.Josh Hazlewood was the star of the show with the ball, producing a masterful spell that tore through India’s top order. His figures of 3 for 13 from four overs set the tone for Australia’s dominance. Supported well by the rest of the bowling attack, Hazlewood’s early breakthroughs restricted India to a below-par total despite Abhishek’s fighting half-century.With Australia now 1-0 up, the series moves to Hobart, where the third T20I will be played at the Bellerive Oval on Sunday.