Cameron Green smashed 61 and Matthew Wade provided the late attack to ensure Australia’s four wicket victory in the opening Twenty20 International against India on Tuesday.
The match between the world champions Australia and the current world top-ranked India resulted in a highly scoring match and the hosts won with just four balls left to take a 1-0 lead over India in the tri-match set.
In the previous game, Hardik Pandya’s unbeaten 71 off just 30 balls pushed India to a dazzling 220-6, their best score against Australia after being batted in on Mohali’s Punjab Cricket Association Stadium in Mohali.
The home side was sacked by captain Rohit Sharma as well as Virat Kohli within five overs, but K.L. Rahul as well as Suryakumar Yadav held the innings by putting on the one-day stand of 68.
Rahul scored 55 runs as Rahul scored 55 as he as well as Yadav (46) led India to 86-2 by the halfway point of the innings.
India was at risk of losing momentum when two fell at the same time however Pandya delivered a stunning hit that was accompanied by seven fours and five sixes.
The all-rounder smashed the 25-ball mark and ended with a hat-trick, a pair of sixes during the 21-run last over. Green.
Nathan Ellis (3-30) was the top pick of Australia bowlers. He also had two catches to return Rohit as well as Rahul.
Aaron Finch (22) signalled Australia’s intentions by hitting the first ball in their innings for a 6 but was unable to make the ball go to the end.
Green capitalized on an unlucky ball to smash four sixes, as Australia hit 109-1 at the 10-over mark. However, their top order collapsed.
Green was slashed after an attempt at a Slog-sweep Axar Patel (3-17) and Umesh Yadav. The latter, who had bleeding 16 runs in the first over. Green returned to get rid of Steve Smith (35) and Glenn Maxwell caught behind in the same over.
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Wade as well as Tim David combined to milk 22 runs in the 18th over of Harshal Patel, turning the match around.
Singapore-born David left after scoring the number 18 in his Australia debut, but Wade stuck around to smash 45 not out of 21 balls to win the match.
India lost three wickets and then were left to regret how they bowled to death.
The teams will travel to Nagpur for the second game on Friday.
Scoreboard
INDIA:
K.L. Rahul c Ellis b Hazlewood 55
R. Sharma c Ellis b Hazlewood 11
V. Kohli c Green b Ellis 2
S. Yadav c Wade b Green 46
H. Pandya not out 71
A. Patel c Green b Ellis 6
D. Karthik lbw b Ellis 6
H. Patel not out 7
EXTRAS (W-4) 4
TOTAL (for six wickets for 20 overs, six wickets) TOTAL (for six wickets, 20 overs)
DID NOT BAT: B Kumar, U. Yadav, Y. Chahal
FALL OF WICKETS: 1-21 (Sharma), 2-35 (Kohli), 3-103 (Rahul), 4-126 (S. Yadav), 5-146 (A. Patel), 6-176 (Karthik)
BOWLING: Hazlewood 4-0-39-2 (1w), Cummins 4-0-47-0, Zampa 4-0-36-0 (1w), Ellis 4-0-30-3 (2w), Green 3-0-46-1, Maxwell 1-0-10-0
AUSTRALIA:
A. Finch b A. Patel 22
C. Green c Kohli b A. Patel 61
S. Smith c Karthik b U. Yadav 35
G. Maxwell c Karthik b U. Yadav 1
J. Inglis b A. Patel 17
T. David c Pandya b Chahal 18
M. Wade not out 45
P. Cummins not out 4
EXTRAS (LB-2, W-6) 8
TOTAL (for six wickets, 19.2 overs) 211
DID NOT BAT: N. Ellis, A. Zampa, J. Hazlewood
FALL OF WICKETS: 1-39 (Finch), 2-109 (Green), 3-122 (Smith), 4-123 (Maxwell), 5-145 (Inglis)
BOWLING: Kumar 4-0-52-0 (4w), U. Yadav 2-0-27-2, A. Patel 4-0-17-3, Chahal 3.2-0-42-1 (1w), H. Patel 4-0-49-0 (1w), Pandya 2-0-22-0
The result: Australia won by four wickets.
