Skipper Suryakumar’s brilliant knock trumps Inglis’ spellbinding ton in a humdinger
Rinku takes India past the finish line after Kishan chips in with a fifty; the visitor’s wicketkeeperbatter equals Finch’s 47ball Australian record for the fastest T20I century
Suryakumar Yadav led from the front on his captaincy debut with a fine knock (80, 42b, 9x4, 4x6) to help India beat Australia by two wickets in the first T20I at the Dr. YSR ACAVDCA Stadium here on Thursday.
The Indian skipper’s knock ensured Josh Inglis’ sensational 110 (50b 11x4, 8x6) earlier in the evening — which powered Australia to a competitive 208 — went in vain. The wicketkeeperbatter scored his ton off just 47 balls to equal Aaron Finch’s record for the fastest T20I ton by an Australian.
Wrong note
The Men in Blue’s chase started on the wrong note after losing the openers early. However, the experienced Surykumar and Ishan Kishan (58) steadied things with a 112run partnership for the third wicket.
Later, Rinku Singh proved his mettle in his first real test against a strong team, scoring an unbeaten 22 as he guided the home team through some nervous moments in the final over. From needing two off the last four, India lost three wickets to bring the equation to one off the last ball.
As he had done in the IPL, Rinku launched Sean Abbott over longon to seal the chase in style. However, in an anticlimactic end, Abbott had overstepped on the final delivery and handed India the victory.
Right from the moment he walked in, Suryakumar was in his element as he shuffled across and flicked the Aussie pacers over midwicket for fours and sixes in his trademark style.
At the other end, Kishan cut loose against legspinner Tanveer Sangha, peppering the midwicket boundary with his slog sweeps to brutal effect on way to his halfcentury.
Though the Aussies fought back when Sangha quickly removed Kishan and Tilak Varma, Suryku
K.R. DEEPAK
mar was unstoppable. In the 17th over, the Indian skipper hit Nathan Ellis for two fours and a six and almost sealed the chase.
Earlier, Inglis sent the Indian bowlers on a leather hunt after Australia was asked to bat first. Pacer Prasidh Krishna was the first to suffer Inglis’ wrath
AUSTRALIA
Steve Smith run out 52 (41b, 8x4),
Matthew Short b Bishnoi 13 (11b,
Josh Inglis c Jaiswal b Prasidh 110 (50b, 11x4, 8x6),
Marcus Stoinis (not out) 7 (6b),
Tim David (not out) 19 (13b, 2x4,
Extras (lb2, w4, nb1): 7; Total (for three wkts. in 20 overs): 208.
FALL OF WICKETS
INDIA BOWLING
Arshdeep 40410, Prasidh 40501, Axar 40320, Bishnoi 40541, Mukesh 40290.
INDIA
Yashasvi Jaiswal c Smith b Short 21 (8b, 2x4, 2x6), Ruturaj Gaikwad run out 0 (0b), Ishan Kishan c Short b Sangha 58 (39b, 2x4, 5x6),
Suryakumar Yadav c Hardie b Behrendorff 80 (42b, 9x4, 4x6),
Tilak Varma c Stoinis b Sangha 12 (10b, 2x4), Rinku Singh (not out) as the righthanded batter smashed him around the park in the eighth over, collecting three boundaries and a six — a beautiful cutshot over point.
Later, Inglis waded into Bishnoi, hitting the legspinner for six maximums out of his eight and setting the stage for the visitors to post a score above 200. He used the slog sweep and pull shot well to collect six(14b, 4x4), (6b), (1b), (0b), (0b);
FALL OF WICKETS
AUSTRALIA BOWLING Stoinis 30360, Behrendorff 41251, Short 10131, Abbott 3.50431, Ellis 40440, Sangha 40472.
Toss: India.
PoM: Suryakumar.
India won by two wickets with one ball remaining to lead five-match series 1-0.
Second T20I: Nov. 26, Thiruvananthapuram, 7 p.m. es through midwicket.
He then launched into leftarm pacer Arshdeep Singh, hitting four boundaries in the 17th over, with the second one taking him to his hundred. Inglis and Steve Smith (52) added 130 runs for the second wicket.
Pacer Mukesh Kumar helped India finish strongly, giving just five runs in the final over, which proved crucial in the end.