IND v AUS 1st T20I : Poor Start For India Down Under, Shikhar Shine

by

Gabba, Brisbane : 

In a rain affected game the hosts Australia held their nerves at the end winning the game by 4 runs.

Earlier, Indian Captain Virat Kohli won the toss and elected to bowl first. Indian bowlers got off to a good start giving very little margin of error to the T20 specialist Australian batsmen Darcy Short and Captain Aaron Finch.

Playing his first match in Australia, Khalid Ahmed got the wicket of Short of his first delivery. Short made 7 (12).

Captain Aaron Finch made 27 (24). Another T20 specialist Chris Lynn looked in good touch. He made 37 (20) which included 4 massive sixes before china-man Kuldeep Yadav got rid of the duo.

Then Glenn Maxwell took the bowlers to the cleaners. He smashed 46 (24) along with 4 sixes. Marcus Stoinis ably supported him with his 33* (19).

Australia made 158/4 in 17 overs before rain affected the game. Krunal Pandya was the most expensive Indian bowler. He gave 55 in his 4 overs. Kuldeep Yadav was the most successful one giving only 24 in his quota of 4 overs also picking 2 important wickets.

After the revised target, India required 174 in 17 overs to start the series on the winning note.

Shikhar Dhawan took India off to a flier but the Indian vice captain Rohit Sharma couldn’t get going. He made 7 (8). KL Rahul came in at no.3. He too didn’t contribute much. He made 13 (12) before Adam Zampa grabbed his wicket.

Captain Virat Kohli had a bad day at office today. He made just 4 (8). But it was Shikhar Dhawan who kept going from one end. He smashed 76 (42) including 10 boundaries and 2 sixes.

After Dhawan fell, it were the two wicketkeepers Rishabh Pant and Dinesh Kartik that joined hands and brought the seemingly difficult victory closer .

Rishabh Pant fell when India required 18 off 9 balls. He made 20 (15). 13 were needed in the final over. Krunal Pandya squeezed 2 off the first ball, the next was a dot and Pandya fell on the next ball leaving 11 to get of 3.

Dinesh Kartik the lone hope for the Indian win fell on the very next ball. He made 30 (12). With 10 to get off 2 balls India managed only 5. Thereby loosing by 4 runs.

Australia lead the 3 match T20I series 1-0. This is their first win in the last 5 T20Is and it also ends India’s 4 match winning streak.