INDIA DEFEAT AUSTRALIA IN RAINHIT T20 OPENER
Hosts continue to dominate series versus Australia, clinch ninewicket win in rainhit T20I
India batsmen had little time to produce fireworks, six overs to be precise. But it was enough to clinch a nine-wicket win in the rain-hit first T20I against Australia in Ranchi on Saturday. The win on the Duckworth-Lewis method gave Virat Kohli’s side is 1-0 lead in the three-match series.
After rain ended Australia’s innings with the visitors reeling at 118/8 in 18.4 overs, India were set a target of 48 runs in six overs.
Rohit Sharma and Shikhar Dhawan could only score five runs off the first over by debutant left-arm paceman Jason Behrendorff.
Rohit flicked Nathan CoulterNile’s first ball off the second over, but missed a straight ball after that to be bowled. Virat Kohli targeted Andrew Tye in the third over with a four through mid-off while Dhawan hit another four through square leg.
With 21 needed off 18 balls, the odds were in India’s favour. Dhawan hit a boundary off Nathan Coulter-Nile as India reached 36/1 in four overs. Kohli pulled Adam Zampa for four.
Six were needed off six balls and Dhawan and Kohli sealed the win in three balls.
BOWLERS’ STRONG SHOW
Indian bowlers had restricted the visitors after Kohli elected to bowl. Kuldeep Yadav and Jasprit Bumrah took two wickets each while Hardik Pandya, Yuzvendra Chahal and Bhuvneshwar Kumar picked one each.
With the rivals boasting of a dangerous opening pair – David Warner and Aaron Finch – Indian bowlers had their task cut out.
Bhuvenshwar Kumar faced the music in the first over with Warner, the stand-in skipper, punishing him with straight fours. Bhuvi had his revenge with a good length delivery that stayed low, taking the inside edge and hitting the stumps.
With skipper Steve Smith out with injury and Warner gone in the first over, Australia came under pressure.
Aaron Finch seemed unaffected. He hit a powerful cover drive off Jasprit Bumrah in the second over before going after Hardik Pandya in the third.
On a pitch of low bounce, Finch and No 3 Glenn Maxwell ran hard to maintain a healthy run rate.
Just when things seemed to look up for the Aussies, Yuzvendra Chahal struck in the seventh over to have Maxwell (17) caught.
Just when it looked Finch would reach his fifty, chinaman bowler Kuldeep Yadav bowled him and Moises Henriques.
Pandya reduced Australia to 89/5 by dismissing Travis Head. From 111 to 114, Australia lost three wickets before rain arrived.