Highlights
- This was Australia's highest-ever chase in T20I cricket vs India.
- Rahul made a statement with a high-quality 55 off 35 balls.
- Chahal did dismiss Tim David in the end but it was all a little too late.
Australia started the 3-match T20I series vs India with a bang as the high-flying Kangaroos defeated the Men in Blue by 4 wickets to record their highest-ever chase in T20 cricket. vs India. Led by Green's 61 off just 30 deliveries at the start and Wade's 45 off just 21 balls at the end, Australia chased down a mammoth total of 209 with as many as four balls to spare.
Australia won the toss and opted to bowl first. Batting first, KL Rahul and Hardik Pandya's audacious strokeplay helped India post a daunting 208 for six in the first T20 International against Australia. With his strike rate under the scanner, Rahul made a statement with a high-quality 55 off 35 balls before Hardik smashed an unbeaten 71 off just 30 balls, including five sixes.
Suryakumar Yadav also played some breathtaking strokes in his 46 off 25 balls. After Rohit Sharma and Virat Kohli fell cheaply, Rahul and Suryakumar shared a 68-run stand off 42 balls. It was raining sixes when they were in the middle. Rahul's walk across the stumps to dispatch Josh Hazlewood over the cow corner made his intent clear before he whipped Cameron Green for a massive six over deep square leg.
Suryakumar's style of play is often awe-inspiring and the Mohali crowd got to see him at his lethal best. Out of his four sixes, his swat over fine leg off a good length ball from Cummins stood out. India was able to maintain their tempo in the middle overs as Suryakumar picked up leggie Adam Zampa for two successive sixes in the long on and deep midwicket.
Hardik then took over and pushed India past 200. He was quick to punish anything short from the pacers and his pick-up shot off Cummins in the 18th over was the highlight of his entertaining knock. He smashed three consecutive sixes off Green in the 20th over including a flat one in the mid-wicket region. The last five overs yielded 67 runs.
Chasing 209, Green got off Australia to a great start and reached his 50 in no time. Indian bowlers had no clue what hit them. Green ended his innings with 61 off 30 deliveries. India made a short-lived comeback where Green, Smith and Maxwell fell in quick succession. But after Inglis' dismissal, Wade and Tim David made sure no further damage was done until the win was within the grasp.
Chahal did dismiss Tim David in the end but it was all a little too late as Australia eventually won the match by 4 wickets. The teams will next meet in Nagpur on 23rd September.
(Inputs PTI)
