Axar Patel almost took India to victory with his batting exploits in the second T20I of the ongoing three-match series against Sri Lanka in Pune on Thursday, January 5.Walking out to bat at No.7, Axar played a scintillating knock to give Indian fans a glimmer of hope as the Men in Blue were chasing a daunting 207-run target at the MCA Stadium. The left-handed batter took the Sri Lankan bowlers to the cleaners, mustering 65 runs off just 31 balls.Axar entertained the viewers with his strokeplay, hitting six brilliant sixes along with three fours. It is worth mentioning that the southpaw completed a hat-trick of sixes in the 14th over bowled by Wanindu Hasaranga. Several fans took to social media, lauding the all-rounder for stepping up with the bat under pressure. Here are some of the reactions on Twitter:Yash Parmar@btwimyash_010Take a Bow Axar patel Well Played Surya And Mavi #INDvsSLTake a Bow Axar patel Well Played Surya And Mavi #INDvsSL https://t.co/f7mbnNIHuuMannKiBhadas@mann_ki_bhadasWin or loss.#AxarPatel won a billion hearts today.#INDvsSLWin or loss.#AxarPatel won a billion hearts today.#INDvsSLtaehyung's bestie⁷@TrUsFrAtEdArMy8no but axar patel was unstoppable today. kudos to him no but axar patel was unstoppable today. kudos to him 👏Aman Kumar@8528GuptajiamanWhat a brilliant knock by axar patel!! #axar patel1What a brilliant knock by axar patel!! #axar patelSunil choudhary@choudhary3878Axar patel never disappointed us when most required ...well done axar , sky and newly mavi what a best performance of never giving #axarpatel #INDvSL #SuryakumarYadav1Axar patel never disappointed us when most required ...well done axar , sky and newly mavi 🔥 what a best performance of never giving 🙏#axarpatel #INDvSL #SuryakumarYadavDareppa@Dareppa13@BCCI @mastercardindia India's top batsman should learn how to bat from Axar Patel....@BCCI @mastercardindia India's top batsman should learn how to bat from Axar Patel....bgspeaks_@bgspeaks_India has to find a way to play Axar Patel and Ravindra Jadeja together in ODIs and T20s! #axarpatel #RAVINDRAJADEJA #INDvsSLIndia has to find a way to play Axar Patel and Ravindra Jadeja together in ODIs and T20s! #axarpatel #RAVINDRAJADEJA #INDvsSL𝔖𝔢𝔧𝔞𝔩 Ǥส∂hvi@SejalGadhvi1Well played, Axar Patel - 65 (31) with 3 fours and 6 sixes. One of the best knocks in recent times, he gave India an opportunity. What a player!Take a bow, Axar!#axarpatel #INDvSL51Well played, Axar Patel - 65 (31) with 3 fours and 6 sixes. One of the best knocks in recent times, he gave India an opportunity. What a player!Take a bow, Axar!#axarpatel #INDvSLSHAKEEL SHAIK@supershaikTeam India's Biggest Positive In This Series Is AXAR PATEL - THE BATTER #INDvSLTeam India's Biggest Positive In This Series Is AXAR PATEL - THE BATTER #INDvSLprat@ssvt84131830Bapu#axarpatel #SuryakumarYadavBapu🐐#axarpatel #SuryakumarYadavsnehith@datla_snehithWell played Axar Patel. You deserve better applause from fans. Keep playing :)Well played Axar Patel. You deserve better applause from fans. Keep playing :)Adarsh Baheti@Adarsh_bahetiThe way axar patel is encashing the opportunities, jadeja must fear his place in playing xi#INDvSL1The way axar patel is encashing the opportunities, jadeja must fear his place in playing xi#INDvSLArjun sharma@Arjunsh07613580Superb knowck by Axar patel and credit to sky also as wll as shivam too.We was nowhere in the game but they take us close to a victory.Well played champ#INDvSL#axarpatel#surya42#INDvSLSuperb knowck by Axar patel and credit to sky also as wll as shivam too.We was nowhere in the game but they take us close to a victory.Well played champ❤️🙇#INDvSL#axarpatel#surya42#INDvSL🆅🅴🅺🅾_🅳🆃🐐@probhaktAppreciation Tweet for Axar Rajeshbhai Patel.. #axarpatel#INDvSL ..3Appreciation Tweet for Axar Rajeshbhai Patel..🙌🙌 #axarpatel#INDvSL .. https://t.co/08gfwaRNX4Vanshaj K Srivastava@VanshajTweetsBaapu teri batting bhi kamaal che #axarpatel #INDvSLGood fight but just not our day today1Baapu teri batting bhi kamaal che👏 #axarpatel #INDvSLGood fight but just not our day today💔Nikhil@Nikhil31o5Top effort, Bapu & BhauResult didn’t go our way but a great fight! #INDvSL #AxarPatel #SuryakumarYadav2Top effort, Bapu & Bhau🔥Result didn’t go our way but a great fight! #INDvSL #AxarPatel #SuryakumarYadavSachin Chopra@IamSachin03tried so hard and got so far but in the end it doesn't even matter #INDvSL #axarpateltried so hard and got so far but in the end it doesn't even matter #INDvSL #axarpatel https://t.co/8VjT6Pf21YNotably, India were in a spot of bother when Axar Patel came to bat as the Men in Blue were reeling at 57/5. Hardik Pandya and Co. had an uphill task given that they still required 150 more runs to win the contest.However, Axar stitched together crucial partnerships with Suryakumar Yadav and Shivam Mavi to take the game to the final over.Axar Patel's heroics went in vain as top-order batters let India down in a mammoth run chaseSri Lanka won the toss and decided to bat first in what was a must-win encounter for them. The visitors dominated the Indian bowlers, registering an imposing total of 206 thanks to fine half-centuries from Dasun Shanaka (56*) and Kusal Mendis (52). Axar Patel was the pick of the Indian bowlers in the high-scoring encounter. The left-arm spinner picked up two crucial wickets and conceded just 24 runs from his full quota of four overs. Team India didn't have an ideal start to their run chase, with the top-order batters getting out cheaply. Apart from Axar, Suryakumar Yadav contributed significantly with the bat, aggregating 51 runs off 36 balls.BCCI@BCCIThe match went down to the wire but it is Sri Lanka who won the second T20I by 16 runs.Scorecard bit.ly/INDvSL-2023-2N… #TeamIndia | #INDvSL1639104The match went down to the wire but it is Sri Lanka who won the second T20I by 16 runs.Scorecard ▶️ bit.ly/INDvSL-2023-2N… #TeamIndia | #INDvSL https://t.co/YoE4hvgZoAWhile Shivam Mavi too chipped in with a quick-fire cameo of 26 runs in 15 deliveries, it wasn't enough, as the Hardik Pandya-led side ultimately lost the match by 16 runs.