Set 183 to win, Australia slumped to 12-2 after 11 balls before captain Steven Smith (90) and Glenn Maxwell (44) led a recovery with a 112-run partnership for the third wicket.The Australians needed 12 runs off the final over, but Matthew Wade and Pat Cummins were run out and Nathan Coulter-Nile was caught slogging as Stokes conceded just six runs. Australia finished on 177-8.
"He stuck his chest out and bowled really well," Morgan said of Stokes, who took a flying catch in the deep to remove the dangerous Maxwell and halt Australia's momentum.
England posted 182-5 having also fought back from losing two early wickets — both to Cummins in the fourth over — as Eoin Morgan (74 off 39 balls) and Moeen Ali (72 not out) hit 10 sixes in a 135-run stand.
Morgan hit seven sixes, including three in one over from Shane Watson, before getting caught inches from the boundary going for another maximum.
Australia was ahead of the required run rate of 9.1 until the innings began to slow after the departure of Maxwell and Smith, who skied David Willey to Sam Billings as he moved he moved in sight of a first T20 century. He had already beaten his previous best score in this format, 34.
"We were in a really good position," Smith said, "but the middle order just couldn't get a boundary away."
England beat Australia 3-2 in the test series to regain the Ashes. The teams play a five-match ODI series starting Thursday.
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